B0k  MMW; 


I  I  HM 


THE 


SOUTHERN     READER; 


ILD'S   SE-COND   READING   BOOK,    i 


CONTAINING 


C 


SIMPLE    READING    LESSENS, 


PROGRESSIVELY  ARRANGED. 


STEREOTYPE   EDITION. 
WITH     A  D  D  ITIONS. 


kND 


CHARLESTON: 
BY  WM.  R.  BABCOCK,  AND  M'OARTBR  k  CO., 

SOLD  BY  ALL  THE  PRINCIPAL  jJOOKSELLERS  W  THE 
SOUTHERN  AND  SOUTH-WESTERN  STATES. 


\ 


Cfce  Hibtatp 
(anitiet0itp  of  iQortft  Carolina 


THE  LIBRARY  OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF 

NORTH  CAROLINA 

AT  CHAPEL  HILL 


ENDOWED  BY  THE 
DIALECTIC  AND  PHILANTHROPIC 
LIBRAKYSOCIETIES 

gCgOOfa 

JH  372.1* 
Southern 


jtfU^.cfy-l^ 


This  book  is  due  at  the  LOUIS  R.  WILSON  LIBRARY  on  the 
last  date  stamped  under  "Date  Due."  If  not  on  hold  it  may  be 
renewed  by  bringing  it  to  the  library. 

DATE                    KirT 

DATE 
DUE 

%W*;.& 


V*    - 


%u 


•/ 


I       stt* 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2012  with  funding  from 

University  of  North  Carolina  at  Chapel  Hill 


http://archive.org/details/southernreaderorOOchar 


"  Let  us  give  our  children  such  books  only,  as  cultivate  the  moral  feelings,  and 
create  a  taste  for  knowledge,  while  they,  at  the  same  time,  amuse  and  interest." 


BOOK  FIRST. 


?3^-3®3^D)i3 


.    ENTERED, 
ACCORDING    TO  THE  ACT  OF  CONGRESS,  IN  THE  YEAR   1839, 

BY    S.    BABCOCK    AND    CO., 

W  THE  OFFICE  OF  THE  CLERK  OF  THE  DISTRICT  COURT  Of 
SOUTH     CAROLINA. 


PREFACE  TO  THE  FIRST  EDITION 


The  "  First  Lessons  in  Reading,"  which  compose  the 
pages  of  this  little  work,  are  designed  to  form  the  first  of  a 
series  of  small  books  for  the  instruction  of  children  just  be- 
ginning to  read.  The  whole  series  will  be  of  a  progressive 
character,  and  each  succeeding  book  will  be  a  continuation 
of  similar  lessons,  as  to  plan  and  arrangement,  but  of  a 
higher  order  and  more  advanced  stage  of  reading. 

Book  First  is  intended  to  follow  the  "  Southern  Prim- 
er," a  little  book  containing  the  alphabet  and  a  great 
variety  of  spelling  lessons.  Still,  commencing,  as  Book 
First  does,  with  simple  reading  lessons  in  words  of  only 
two  letters,  followed  by  those  of  three,  four,  Jive  and  six  let- 
ters, and  words  of  one  syllable,  and  extending  only  to  words 
of  two  syllables,  it  necessarily  contains  lessons  suitable  for 
a  child  who  has  learned  only  the  alphabet.  It  can,  therefore, 
be  advantageously  employed  as  a  First  Reading  Book,  dis- 
tinct from  the  other  books  of  the  series. 

It  will  be  our  endeavor  to  make  the  series  complete,  so 
that  the  pupil  will  commence  with  the  simplest  form  of  mono- 
syllables, and  gradually  rising,  step  by  step,  to  the  succeed- 
ing books,  will  be  able  to  master  any  reading  lessons  that 
may  be  presented.  Their  connection,  however,  will  not  ren- 
der any  of  them  unsuitable  for  ordinary  reading  books. 


557511  '       " 


6 

All  children  are  pleased  with  novelty  and  variety,  and  their 
exertions  are  often  stimulated  by  the  prospect  of  a  new  book 
and  more  advanced  lessons.  A  succession  of  books  is  calcu- 
lated to  keep  alive  this  spirit.  As  the  pupil  reaches  each 
succeeding  one,  he  becomes  aware  of  his  progress,  and. a 
laudable  pride  is  gratified. 

No  one  can  question  the  utility  of  this  plan,  or  its  advan- 
tages over  the  old  system  of  confining  the  ardent  young  pupil 
to  the  same  book,  term  after  term,  till  it  becomes  a  tiresome 
humdrum  study, — neither  stimulating  his  exertions,  interest- 
ing his  mind,  or  adding  to  his  stock  of  information. 

By  giving  the  Lessons  in  a  bold  and  clear  type,  we  render 
the  little  learner  a  service  which  is  too  often  overlooked. 
Much  cause  for  complaint  on  this  score,  is  found  in  too  many 
of  our  elementary  books.  They  are  not  only  in  small  type, 
and  poorly  printed,  but  many  of  them  are  from  stereotype 
plates  which  have  been  worn  and  otherwise  defaced,  till  a 
large  portion  of  the  words  can  scarcely  be  decyphered. 
Surely  such  books  should  not  be  placed  in  the  hands  of  those 
who  are  learning  to  read,. 

The  intelligent  teacher  will  find  a  connected  series  of 
reading  books,  better  adapted  to  the  arrangement  of  his  school 
into  classes,  than  the  old  plan  of  one  book  for  all  the  differ- 
ent capacities  and  degrees  of  intelligence  of  his  pupils. 
While  Book  First  may  be  suitable  for  the  lower  classes,  Book 
Second  may  be  placed  in  the  hands  of  those  more  advanced, 
and  Book  Third  will  be  adapted  to  the  highest  class  of  young 
readers. 

We  have  endeavored,  also,  to  give  our  simple  lessons  in 
such  a  simple  style   as  will  be  familiar  to  the  understandings 


of  young  children.  It  is  not  our  design  to  overtask  the  tender 
mind  with  subjects  beyond  its  comprehension  ;  and  we  think 
there  is  but  little  danger,  in  this  portion  of  the  series,  of  pre- 
senting food  too  light  and  simple.  We  aim  but  at  assisting  to 
prepare  the  ground  on  which  the  foundation  of  a  noble  edifice 
may  be  placed  ;  consequently,  we  have  endeavored  to  inter- 
est and  amuse,  and  thus  render  both  teaching  and  learning 
easy  and  pleasant. 

It  is  believed  that  nothing  has  been  admitted  into  these 
pages,  which  the  most  careful  parents  would  hesitate  to  place 
in  the  hands  of  their  children.  A  like  scrupulous  care  will 
govern  the  lessons  of  the  succeeding  books.  It  will  be  our 
aim  to  have  them  not  only  of  a  cheerful,  innocent,  and  inter- 
esting character,  but  such  as  will  expand  and  inform  the 
tender  mind,  and  give  food  to  that  appetite  for  knowledge 
which  reading  alone  can  satisfy. 

We  have  selected  freely  from  the  works  of  others,  and  in 
many  instances  have  re-modeled  our  selections.  This  was 
necessary  in  order  to  confine  them  to  monosyllables.  For 
many  of  the  lessons  in  words  of  three,  four,  and  five  letters, 
we  are  indebted  to  the  "  Little  Lessons"  of  Mrs.  Barwell  ; 
and  for  much  of  the  simple  poetry,  and  other  lessons,  to  the 
charming  little  "  Rose  Bud ,"  of  Mrs.  Gilman. 

In  conclusion,  we  will  not  disguise  our  desire  to  give  the 
teachers  of  our  primary  schools  some  thing  exclusively  South- 
ern for  their  little  pupils.  We  have  too  long  been  inactive 
on  this  subject ;  too  long  been  entirely  dependent  on  our  dis- 
tant neighbors  for  even  the  first  books  that  we  place  in  the 
hands  of  our  children.     It  is  full  time  that  we  have  some- 


8 

thing  of  a  local  nature,  which  will  be  better  suited  to  the  un- 
derstandings of  our  little  ones.  It  is  to  be  regretted  that  the 
task  of  supplying  this  deficiency  has  not  fallen  into  more  able 
hands. 

M.  N.  T. 
Charleston,  1839. 


STEREOTYPE  EDITION. 

In  presenting  another,  and  it  is  hoped  an  "  improved  edi- 
tion" of  this  little  work,  to  the  public,  the  editor  gladly 
avails  himself  of  the  opportunity  to  renew  his  grateful  ac- 
knowledgements for  the  patronage  it  has  met  with.  He 
would  also  express  the  hope,  that  the  introduction  of  many 
new  and  beautiful  engravings,  (which  has  been  effected  by 
somewhat  enlarging  the  work,  without  material  alteration 
of  the  lessons,)  will  meet  the  approbation  of  all  who  may 
make  use  of  the  "  Southern  Readers." 

July,  1847. 


THE 


SOUTHERN    READER- 


BOOK    FIRST 


a  n 


TWO  LETTERS. 

LESSON  r. 


ax 


all      aim 

an 

as 

at 

ax 

be 

by 

do      fy 

go 

he 

ho 

if 

in 

it 

is        lo 

me 

my 

no 

oh 

of 

or 

ox      so 

to 

up 

us 

we 

wo 

ye 

LESSON  II. 

am    I    to 

go    in 

I 

am    to 

go    in 

is    he    to 

go    in 

lie 

is    to 

go    in 

is    he    up 

on    it 

he 

is    up 

on    it 

is    he    to 

do    so 

he 

is    to 

do    so 

we    go    up    to    il 

ye 

go    up 

to    it 

if  it    is    my    ox 

is 

it    by 

my    ax 

10 


SOUTHERN  READER. 


[book 


an 


Is    it    up    or    on  1 
Is    it    on    or    in  1 
I    am    to    go    in. 
If   ye    go    on    so 
Lo !    I    do    go    on. 
He    is    in    by    me. 
Ye    do    go    up    on. 


OX 


Ah,  if   it    is    so. 
Go    ye    up    to    it. 
Am    I    in    or   on? 
Do    go    up    on    it. 
Oh,  I    am    by    it. 
Be    ye    on  or    up  1 
Oh,  fy,    to    do    so. 


LESSON  IV. 

Lo!    we    do    go    up   on    or    in    it. 
Is    it    by    my    ox,    or    by    my    ax  1 
Ah !    it    is    in,  or    on,    or    at,    or    of  "  it. 
Go    ye    up    to    it.       Lo,    I    do    go. 
Be    it    so ;    or   be    so.       He    is    so. 
I    am    on   an    ox.      An    ox   is    by    me. 
Oh,  fy,  is    it    so  ?      Ah,    no,    no. 
Is    it    in,    or     on,   or    up,    or    by  1 
He    is    to    go  in ;    I    am    to    go    on. 
I    am    to    be    up    on    it ;    he    is    to    go    up 
oy  me.     Ah,    I    am    up. 


FIRST.]  WORDS  OF  THREE   LETTERS 

THREE  LETTERS. 
lesson  r. 

[live  oak  tree.] 


11 


iiiiiBi^^  | 

^^"s 

f^SHS 

""' 3| ~**Ssk 

^ft" 

-M^p^^^^B 

^^^^'.^^^^^H 

WSjgBit&sfe   ~  - 

^^^^W^^^^^ 

^^^^^^^^^^^^S 

^:J==3BB^t.  - 

v  '-- 

33HL*- 

=^=§i==r=r|gp^^r^ 

"   .       1    I  p  ■  .  :;'■"'-'  ■  ^     Hip 

-       _      -         -    — _^ 

"■■■.■         ,              .'"  ..' 

gg^S^ggiKg^-j^SKa^aig 

S^^^^^s 

s 

v      5-     -~       -  ,          .      _   ■ 

The  bi^    old   Oak- 


old  oak. 


n 


Hi     1; 


CI. 


big  dog. 
his  ear. 
hot   sun, 


fat    pig 
new  cap. 
bad  man. 
her  lip. 
the  hog. 


red  cow. 
the  cat. 
bad  boy. 
see  him. 
wet  day. 


LESSON  II. 

Let  us    go  out.  It  is    a    hot    day. 

The    sun    is   hot.  Do  not   run    now. 

The  old  hog  is  fat  The  cat  can  run. 

The  dog  is  by  me.  She  fed  the  old  hen 


12  SOUTHERN  READER.  [BOOK 

May  I   go  out?  Put   on  my  cap. 

Is  it  not  my  hat  I  Ann  can   go   too. 

May  I  try   to    sew  ?  Hem  my  new  cap. 


LESSON  III. 

The  Cow. 

Now  let  us  go    out  and  see  the  cow; 
Is  it  our  dun  cow,  or   the   old  red  cow  ? 
It  is  the  red  cow,  not   the  dun  cow. 
Let  the  cow  eat  the  new    hay. 
May  the  dun   cow   eat  the    hay,   too  ? 
No  ;    the   dun  cow    may   not   eat  it. 
The   dun    ?ow  is   not  by  the  red  cow. 
The   dun  cow   is  off  in  the  lot. 
Now   let  us    all    go   in,    for    the  sun     is  too 
hot  for  us  to  be  out. 


LESSON    IV. 

The  Bee. 

Can  you  tell  me  why  the  Bee  is  on  the  bud? 

The  Bee  is  on  the  bud  to  sip  off  the  dew 
See  him  fly  in  the  cup  of  the  bud.  Now  he  is  on 
the  red  pea ;  and  now  he  is  off  to  fly  in  the  sun. 

A  Bee  can  fly,  but  a  Boy  can  not  fly.  A 
Boy  can  run. 

Has  the  Bee  a  leg? 


FIRST.]  WORDS   OF   THREE   LETTERS.  13 

Yes,  he  has  six;  but  a  Boy  has  but  two 
The  Bee  can  fly  to  a  bud,  and  he  can  sip  the 
dew  out  of  it;  and  a  boy  can  run  and  see 
him  do  it. 


LESSON  V. 

No  man  may  put  off  the  law  of  God. 
A  bad  man  is  a  foe  to   God. 
The  way  of  man  is  not  the  way  of  God. 
Let  me  not  go  out  of  thy  way,  O  God. 
Let  me   not  go  in  the  way  of  bad  men. 
If  I  go  out,  or  if  I  go  in,  God  can  see  me. 
In  God  do  I  put  my  joy  ;  0  let  me  not  sin. 
Try  me,  0  God,  and  let    me  not  go   out  of 
the  way  of  thy  law. 


LESSON  VI. 

The  Pig,  the    Hen,  the  Fox,  and  the  Dog. 

I  am  a  Pig,  and  I  eat  all  I  can  get.  I  am 
too  fat  to    run ;  so    I  go    and   lie   in  the    mud. 

The  Dog  can  get  me  by  the  ear  or  leg;  but 
if  I  am  in  my  pen,  the  Dog  may  not  go  in  it 
to  get  me.  I  am  of  use,  for  men  eat  me. 
Men  let  me  eat  all  I  can,  so  I  may  get  fat. 

2* 


14 


SOUTHERN   READER. 


[book 


I  am  a  Hen.     I  fly,  but  not  far ;   nor  can  I 
fly  up  in  the  air  as  the   Tom   Tit  can.     I   lay 
my  egg,  and  I  am  of  use  to   man ;   but  the  Rat 
an  get  my  egg,  and  the  Fox  can  get  me. 


[A  FOX  CHASE  IN  CAROLINA.] 


I  am  a  Fox,  and  a  Fox  is  sly.  I  am  so 
sly  I  can  get  the  Hen ;  if  I  do  get  the  Hen, 
I  eat  her.  But  the  Dog  and  the  Men  try  to 
get  me.  It  is  odd  if  the  Dog,  and  the  Men 
too,  can  get  one  who  is  so  sly,  and  who  can 
run  as  I  can.     See   me  go  ! 

I  am  a  Dog.  I  am  of  use  to  Man.  I  can 
run,  and  I  can  get  the  Fox,  for  all  he  is  so 
sly.  I  can  get  a  Rat,  too.  I  can  run  and  get 
a  Pig  by  the  ear.      I  am  a  tig  Dog,  and  can 


FIRST.]  WORDS   OF   FOUR   LETTERS.  15 

let  a    Boy   get  on  me.     He  may  sit  on  me  if  he 
is   not   a  bad  boy. 


LESSON  VII. 

The  Fly,  the  Bee,  the  Cat,  and  the  Rat. 

I  am  a  Fly.  I  fly  in  the  air  if  the  sun  be 
hot.  I  sip  out  of  the  tea  cup  if  I  see  a  Boy 
at  tea.  I  sit  on  the  rim  of  his  cup  and  sip 
his  tea.  If  he  see  me  he  may  try  to  hit  me  ; 
but  I  can  fly  off  and  go  up  in  the  air,  so  he 
can  not  get   me  at  all.     I  am   a   gay   Fly. 

I  am  a  Bee ;  I  fly  too,  if  the  sun  be  hot, 
and  it  is  not  wet.  I  sip,  too  ;  but  I  do  not 
get  in  the  tea  cup.  1  am  of  use.  Do  not  try 
to  hit  me,  Boy,  for  I  do  not  get  in  the  way, 
and   you   can   see   I  am  of  use. 

]  am  a  Cat.  I  do  not  sip,  I  lap.  1  can 
get  a  Rat,  and  I  can  get  you,  Sir  Fly,  if  you 
do  not  go  too  far  up  in  the  air.  I  can  mew 
and  I  can  run.  I  lie  in  the  sun;  but  if  the 
sun  be  too  hot,  I  lie  on  the  rug,  or  go  to  my 
bed   of  hay. 

I  am  a  Rat.  I  eat  all  I  can  get.  The  Cat 
may  try  and  see  if  she  can  get  me ;  but  I  can 
run  out  of  her  way.     I  can  run  to  my  bed ;  but 


16 


SOUTHERN  READER, 


[BOOK 

ge 
my   bed ;  she  is  too   big.      I   am  a  sly  Rat. 


the  Cat  can   not  run  to  it.     She  can  not  get  to 


FOUR  LETTERS. 

LESSON  I. 

[sugar  plantation,] 


mgmm  «ws?gss 


A   Rail  Road   and   Cars. 
A   good    crop.  A    cane    mill 


A  huge   pile. 

A  ripe    cane. 

A  high    hill. 

A  rail    road. 

A  rich   soil. 

A  nice    road. 


A   tall   tree. 
A    long    limb. 
A   good   load. 
A   live    oak. 
A  fine    stem. 
A   wide   leaf. 


FIRST.]  WORDS  OF  FOUR  LETTERS.  17 

LESSON  11. 

The  New  Book 

John  had  a  new  book,  one  day,  and  his 
aunt  said  to  him, — 

Come    here,    John, 

Let  me   see    your    new   book. 

This    is    a  fine   new    book. 

Can  John  read  a   page  of  it  to  me? 

Let  me  hear   him  try   to    do   so. 

Read  slow,  and  look  at  each  word  till  you 
see  what  it  is,  and  then  take  care  to  call  it 
right. 

That  will  do  ;  you  will  soon  read  as  well  as 
Ann  or  Jane. 

Now  take  your  book  and  sit  down  on  this 
seat  by  me. 

So  John  sat  down  by  his  aunt,  as  she  bade 
him,  and  he  did  not  fail  to  keep  his  book  neat, 
and  free  from   dirt. 


LESSON  III. 


The  girl  is  fond   of  her  new  doll. 

John   may  fly  his   new  kite. 

Jane  can  hem   a   cap  for  her   aunt 


18  SOUTFIERiN   READER.  [BOOK 

The  good  boy  is  kind  to  all.  He  will  hurt 
no   one. 

We   do   not  love   a   bad   boy   or   a  bad   girl. 

A  good  boy  or  girl  will  be  sure  to  gain  the 
/jve   of  all. 

A  bad  life   will   make  a  bad   end. 

We  must  live  well,  that  we  may  die  well. 

Be   kind  to    all,   and   hurt   no   one. 

Do  no  ill  act;  if  you  have  done  one,  say 
you  will  do  it  no   more. 

This  life  is  not  long;  but  the  life  to  come 
has  no   end. 


LESSON  IV. 

We   love  just  and   wise   men. 
Bad   boys   love  to  rob   the   nest  of  a  bird. 
A  bird  sits  on  the  limb  of  a  tree   to  sing 
A  plum  will  hang  by   a  stem. 
Cats,  kill   and   eat  rats   and  mice. 
Men  keep   pigs  in   a  pen  or  sty. 
A   ship   has  a  tall  mast. 

Good  boys    and    girls    will  try   to   spell   and 
ead  well. 
A   wise   man   will  rise  with   the   sun. 
No  man  can  make  a  good  plea  for  a  dram. 


FIRST.]  WORDS   OF   FOUR   LETTERS.  19 

A  toad   will  junip   like   a  frog. 
We   do   not   like   to   see   our   own   sins. 
A   good   bo j   will   not  tear   his  book. 
The    lark   will   soar    up    in   the   sky   10   100k 
t    the   sun. 
A   dray  is   a   kind   of  low   cart. 
The   sun    will    rise  ip    the    east    an?    ^sf  in 
the   west. 


lesson  v. 
Seek  God. 


Let  each  one  of  you  bear  ;n  vn'y)ri  that  it 
was  God  who  made  you,  an  &  who  gave  you 
all  that  you  have.  It  was  God  who  gave 
you  life,  and  food  to  eat,  and  a  home  to  live 
in.  All  who  love  you,  and  take  care  of  you, 
and   help   you,   wrere   sent   by   Him. 

Be  sure  that  He  sees  you  in  the  dark,  as 
well  as  in  the  day.  He  can  tell  all  that 
you  do,  all  that  you  say,  and  all  that  is  in 
your  mind.  Do  not  hope  to  hide  your  sins 
from  God ;  for  He  will  see  and  know  them  all. 

Oh,  seek  this  good  God.  Pray  to  Him 
when  you  rise,  and  when  you  lie  down. 
Keep   His   day,    and  hear  and    read   His  word, 


20  SOUTHERN  READER.  [BOOK 

and  do  His  will.  Then  this  good  God  will 
love  you,  and  care  for  you,  and  He  will  be 
your  God. 


LESSON  VI. 

The  New  Laid  Egg. 

Come,  let  us  go  to  the  barn  and  see  if  we 
can  find  a  new  laid  egg  for  your  poor  aunt 
Jane.  She  is  not  well,  and  we  hope  an  egg 
will  do  her  good.  Ah,  here  is  a  nice  one. 
Feel  how  warm  it  is.  The  old  hen  must 
have  just  left  the  nest. 

Now  we  will  go  in  and  beat  it  up  with 
some  wine,  and  then  you  may  take  it  up  to 
aunt  Jane.  Ask  her  how  she  does,  and  beg 
her  to  try  to  take  the  wine  and  egg,  for  we 
are  sure  it  will  help  to    make  her  well. 

When  you  come  back  we  will  get  some 
corn  from  the  box,  and  go  and  feed  the  hens 
that  lay  such  nice  eggs  for  us;  then  we  will 
stop  up  the  hole  in  the  wall,  so  that  the  rats 
may  not  get  in  and  take  the  eggs.  Rats  are 
fond  of  eggs,  and  will  suck  them  if  they  can 
find   a  nest. 


FIRST.]  WORDS   OF  FOUR   LETTERS.  21 

LESSON  VII. 

The  Cat  and  her  Kits. 

Our  old  cat  has  two  kits.  May  I  go  and 
see  the  kits  1  Yes,  you  may  go ;  but  do  not 
run  in  the  wet,  or  in  the  mud.  Put  on  your 
hat,  for  the  sun  is  hot.  See  how  the  pigs  run 
in  the  sty  !  The  kits  do  not  run,  for  they  can 
not  see ;  so  the  old  cat  has  put  her  two  kits  in 
the  hay  for  a  bed.  Get  on  the  tub,  and  then 
you  can  see  the  old  cat,  and  her  kits  by  her 
side.  Why,  the  old  cat  has  no  ears !  No  : 
a  bad  boy  cut  off  her  ears  one  day.  Poor 
puss !  that  was  too  bad.  What  harm  did 
your  ears  do  the  boy  1  Did  he  call  it  fine  fun 
to    hear  you  mew  ? 

The  pigs  are  to  be  fed.  Give  them  some 
corn.  Feed  puss  and  the  kits  too.  Yes;  the 
cat  must  have  some  meat,  and  her  kits  can 
have  some  milk.  Kits  love  milk,  and  can  lap 
it  up  fast.  Put  it  in  a  cup,  and  set  it  down 
by  them.  Now,  puss,  do  not  get  all  the  milk 
from  your  poor  kits.  When  the  kits  grow  up, 
puss  will  show  them  how  to  get  the  rats  and 
mice.  Cats  eat  rats  and  mice.  What  a  nice  bed 
of  hay  our  old  puss  has  got  for  her  two  kits. 

3 


22  SOUTHERN  READER  [ROOK 

LESSON  V1I1. 

God  is  Lord  of  all. 

None  is  God  but  the  Lord.  He  is  Lord  of 
all.  He  is  wise,  and  just,  and  kind.  He  made 
the  sun  and  the  moon,  and  each  star  that  we 
see  in  the  blue  sky.  The  sea  is  His,  and  He 
made  it,  and  He  made  the  dry  land  too.  He 
made  the  east  and  the  west,  and  the  high 
hill  and  the  low  vale.  It  was  the  good  God 
who  made  each  tree  and  herb.  The  tall  oak, 
the  huge  elm,  and  the  low  bush,  and  all  that 
we  see,  or  hear,  or  feel,  or  know,  are  the  work 
of  His   hand. 

God  doth  send  the  rain  and  the  dew  to  wel 
the  soil,  and  at  His  will  it  is  made  dry.  The 
I] eat  and  the  cold,  the  snow  and  the  ice,  and 
the  hail,  ail  come  from  Him.  He  bids  the 
wind  to  blow,  and  it  is  He  who  bids  it  to  be 
calm.  He  bids  the  tide  to  rise,  and  He  bids 
it  fall.  He  sets  a  door,  as  it  were,  to  the  sea, 
and   says   to  it,    But  thus   far  must  thou  come! 

All  that  live  get  life  from  God.  He  made 
the  rich  man  and  the  poor  man,  the  wise  man 
and  the  fool,  the  old  man  and  the  babe.  AH 
that  move   on  the  land,   and  all  that  fly  in  the 


FIRST.] 


WORDS   OF   FIVE    LETTERS. 


23 


air,  and  all  that  swim  in  the  sea,  are  His.  God 
doth  feed  and  take  care  of  them ;  in  Him  they 
live  and  move,  and  when  He  says  the  word, 
they  die  and  turn  to  dust. 


FIVE 

LETTERS. 

LESSON  I. 

A 

white  horse. 

A  brick  house. 

A 

dried  peach. 

A  green  shade. 

A 

plump  goose. 

A  sweet  grape. 

A 

loose  dress. 

A  brass  lamp. 

A 

black  sheep. 

A  young  child. 

A 

sharp  knife. 

A  great  whale. 

A 

small  chair. 

A  large  bench. 

A 

light  cloud. 

A  wheat  straw. 

A 

king's  crown. 

A  grand  coach. 

LESSON  II. 

A  duck  is  a  plump  fowl. 

Fire  will  melt  all  kinds  of  ores. 

A   pin  has  a  sharp  point. 

A  bull  has  a  stiff  neck  and  short  horns. 

A  pint  cup,  or  bowl,  holds  four  gills. 


24  SOUTHERN  READER.         [BOOK 

We  grind   corn   and  sift  out  the   meal. 
Fire  will  burn  wood  and  coals. 
We  burn  oil  in  tin  and  glass  lamps. 
The   lame  man    limps   on  his   lame   leg. 
Moss    grows  on  trees   in  the    woods. 
We  make  ropes   of  hemp   and  flax. 
We   think  well   of  just  and  wise  men. 


The   deer  runs  wild   in   the  woods. 

Good   girls  and   boys   will   act  well. 

Bad  boys  love  to   rob  the  nests  of  birds. 

To   filch  is  to  steal ;  we  must  not  filch. 

The  man   cuts   down  trees  with  a  sharp  ax 

The  smell  of  the  pink  is  sweet. 

A.  skiff  is  a  small  row  boat. 

A.  cliff  is  a  high  and   steep  rock. 


FTRST.j  WORDS   OF  FIVE   LETTERS.  25 

A  ship  has   three   tall   masts. 

Ducks  and  geese  have  wide,  flat  bills,  and 
broad    feet 

A    small   brook   will   turn    a    mill. 

When  you  eat,  hold  the  knife  in  your  right 
hand. 


LESSON  III. 

I   have  seen  the  full  moon. 

The   sun  makes  the  earth    warm. 

The   world   turns    round   once  in   a   day. 

The  sun  seems  to  rise  in  the  east  and  set 
in  the  west  each    day. 

The   moon  is  not  near  as  large    as   the  sun. 

The  earth  is  not  quite  round :  it  is  not  so 
long  from  north  to  south  as  it  is  from  east  to 
west. 

God  makes  the  earth  to  bring  forth  fruit  for 
man   and  beast. 

The  dark  cloud  will  shed  its  rain  on  the 
earth,   and  make   the   grass  grow. 

Land  that  has  a  rich  soil  will  bear  large 
crops  of  grass  and  grain. 

The   wind    will   drive   the   dust  in  our   eyes, 

Tin  and  brass  will  rust  when  the  air  is  damp. 


26  SOUTHERN  READER.         [BOOK 

We  take  up  a  brand  of  fire  witl.  die  tongs. 
The  skull  is  the  bone  on  the  top  of  the  head. 
A  gull  is  a  large  sea  fowl  that  feeds  on  fish 
The  man  put  a  curb  round  our  deep  well 
Sharp  tools  are  made  of  steel. 
The  ax  has  a  sharp  edge  and  cuts  well. 
Think  twice   ere  you  speak  once. 


LESSON  IV. 

The  Plow. 

With  the  plow  we  turn  up  the  earth,  and 
make  it  fit  for  the  seed  which  we  wish  to  sow. 
When  the  seed  is  sown,  we  let  it  lie  in  the 
earth,  and  in  due  time  it  will  spring  up  and 
grow  to  a  plant  of  the  same  kind  as  the  seed 
that  was  sown. 

If  we  plant  corn,  the  green  blade  will  shoot 
up  and  grow  to  a  stalk,  and  that  stalk,  which 
came  from  one  corn,  will  bear  four,  or  five,  or 
six  large  ears  of  the  same  kind  of  corn. 

If  it  were  not  for  the  plow,  how  could  we 
make  the  earth  in  the  field  loose  and  soft,  and 
fit  to  plant  and  sow  1  The  seed  would  not 
shoot  up  a  plant,   nor  could  the  plant  grow  in 


FIRST.]  WORDS  OF  FIVE  LETTERS.  27 

the  hard  earth.  Of  how  much  use,  then,  is  the 
plow,  to  those  who  have  land  on  which  they 
wish  to  raise  corn,  cot-ton,  or  rice. 


LESSON  V. 


The  New  Slate. 

Pray  give  me  my  new  slate,  I  wish  to  draw 
on  it.  My  slate  has  a  fine  red  edge.  I  will 
draw  a  boy.  What  a  long  nose  he  has,  and 
but  one  arm ! 

Now  I  will  draw  a  cow,  and  Moll  with  a  pail 
of  milk  on  her  head.     Have  a  care,  Moll !  do 


28  SOUTHERN  READER.  [BOOK 

not  drop  the  pail  and  lose  all  that  nice  warm 
milk. 

Here  I  will  make  a  pig,  and  a  hen,  and  a 
duck.  Why,  the  pig  has  but  two  legs,  and  the 
duck  has  four.  Well,  I  can  rub  out  two  of  the 
legs  that  tne  duck  has  got,  and  give  them  to 
the  pig.  Here  I  will  have  a  man  with  a  long 
whip  in  his  hand ;  he  has  come  to  put  the  poor 
pig  in  the  sty.  Why,  the  man  is  not  as  tall 
as  the  pig,  and  he  has  one  boot  and  one  shoe 
on !  I  must  rub  them  all  out,  for  they  are  not 
well  done. 

Now  my  slate  is  clean  once  more,  and  I  will 
draw  a  tree;  then  I  will  have  a  man  with  an 
ax  in  his  hand,  to  chop  down  the  tree,  for  fire 
wood.  Next  I  will  have  a  wind  mill  with  the 
sails,  and  a  cart  full  of  sacks  of  corn.  Here  is 
a  boy  with  a  bird's  nest  full  of  eggs  in  his  hat : 
he  is  a  bad  boy  to  take  the  nest  of  a  poor 
bird. 

Now  I  have  done.  Pray  put  my  slate  by 
for  me,  that  I  may  have  it  safe  when  I  next 
wish  to  draw. 


FIRST.]  WORDS  OF  FIVE  LETTERS  29 


LESSON  VI. 


The  Dead  Bird. 


My  bird  is  dead, 

Said  poor  Ann  Ray; 
My  bird  is  dead, 

T  can  not  play. 

He  sang  so  sweet, 
At  break  of  day; 

He  sings  no  more, 
I  can  not  play. 

Go  put  his  cage 
Far  from  my  way; 

I  do  not  love 
His  cage  to  day. 

She  wipes  her  eyes, 
Poor,  poor  Ann  Ray, 

And  sits  and  sighs, 
But  can  not  play. 


30  SOUTHERN  READER,  TbOOK 

LESSON  VII. 

How  to  Add. 

Reach  me  that  bag;  see,  it  is  full  of  beans, 
turn  some  of  them  out.  Now  take  pains,  and 
mind  what  I  say  to  you,  for  I  wish  to  have 
you  learn  to  add. 

Well,  here  is  one  bean,  and  here  are  two 
more ;  now,  how  much  do  one  and  two  make  ? 
Can  you  tell?  Put  them  all  in  your  left  hand 
and  count  them. 

One,  two,  three ;  there  are  three. 

Yes ;  then  one  and  two  are  three.  Now  take 
out  three  more  beans,  and  pu.  them  in  your  left 
hand ;  count  them  all. 

One,  two,  three,  four,  five  six. 

That  is  right:  three  and  three  make  six. 
Now  take  out  of  the  bag  four  beans,  and  add 
two  of  those  you  have  in  your  hand  to  them. 

I  have  six  now. 

Yes ;  lour  and  two  are  six.  Now  take  one 
Dean  and  put  five  more  to  it. 

That  makes  six. 

Yes ;  thus  you  see  that  three  and  three  are 
six :  four  and  two  are  six ;  and  one  and  five  are 


FIRST.]  WORDS  OF   FIVE   LETTERS.  31 

six.  This  is  the  way  to  add,  and  when  you 
can  write  you  shall  have  a  slate,  and  I  will  show 
vou  how  to  work  out  sums;  but  till  then  you 
must  keep  these  beans  to  count  with.  Now  put 
them  by,  in  the  bag,  that  they  may  not  be  lost, 
and  hang  the  bag  up  on  that  nail ;  you  will 
then  know  where  to  find  the  beans  when  you 
want  them. 


LESSON  VIII. 

Wild  Goats. 

In  some  parts  of  the  world,  goats  live  in  a 
wild  state.  They  climb  high  hills  and  steep 
rocks,  and  leap  from  cliff  to  cliff  to  seek  their 
food.  We  have  but  few  of  them  in  this  part 
of  the  world,  as  they  are  apt  to  gnaw  the  bark 
of  young  trees  and  spoil  them.  Goats  are  much 
like  sheep,  but  they  have  long  hair,  while  sheep 
have  wool;  the  male  has  long  horns  too,  and  a 
beard. 

The  young  goats  we  call  kids;  they  are  full 
of  life  and  play,  and  will  jump  and  skip  by  the 
side  of  their  dams  in  a  droll  way. 


32  .SOUTHERN   READER.  [BOOK 

Goats  have  a  strong  smell,  but  their  flesh  is 
good  to  eat,  and  their  rich  milk  is  nice  to  drink ; 
it  is  good  for  those  who  are  sick  and  weak. 

Of  the  skin  of  the  young  goat,  or  kid,  nice 
soft  gloves  are  made,  and  the  horns  of  the  old 
ones  make  good  knife  and  fork  han-dles.  Cloth, 
too,  is  some  times  made  from  the  hair  of  goats, 
so  that  all  parts  of  them  seem  to  be  of  some 
use  to  us. 


LESSON  IX. 

The  Girl  who  ate  too  much. 

Jane  was  a  fine  girl,  eight  years  old,  and 
could  run,  and  jump,  and  hop,  for  hours,  as  well 
as  most  girls.  She  was  stout  and  well,  and 
might  have  been  so  for  a  long  time,  if  she  had 
been  good  and  done  as  she  was  bid.  But  she 
was  too  fond  of  pies,  and  sweet  cakes,  and  would 
eat  all  that  she  could  find,  and  she  would  eat 
fruit  that  was  not  ripe.  How  can  a  child  like 
to  eat  hard  green  fruit ! 

Jane's  aunt  bade  her  not  eat  so  much,  and 
told  her  she  would  some  day  be  made  sick  by  the 
trash  she  was  so  fond  of.  But  Jane  would  not 
heed  what  her    good  aunt   said.      So   one   day 


1  JUST.]  WORDS  OF  FIVE  LETTERS.  33 

she  felt  quite  sick,  and  was  put  to  bed,  and  had 
to  take  pills  which  she  did  not  like. 

Poor  Jane  was  sick  eight  long  days,  and  had 
to  lie  in  the  bed  all  that  time,  in  a  dark  room. 
She  had  such  a  pain  in  her  head,  that  she 
could  not  bear  to  see  the  light,  nor  to  hear  the 
birds  sing. 

When  she  got  up,  at  last,  she  could  not  stand, 
she  was  so  weak.  She  could  not  run,  or  jump, 
or  play,  for  a  long  time  ;  nor  could  she  walk  in 
the  field  and  eat  ripe  fruit  with  the  good  boys 
and  girls. 

But  while  Jane  was  sick,  and  could  not  sleep 
at  night,  she  had  time  to  think  a  great  deal,  and 
she  found  that  those  who  told  her  not  to  eat  too 
much,  knew  best  what  was  good  for  her,  and 
that  not  to  mind  them  was  quite  wrong. 

When    Jane    got  well,    she  took   great  care 

what  she  ate,   and  was  quite  sure  to  do  all  she 

was  bid  to  do  ;  and   she  soon  grew  strong,  and 

could  walk  and  run  as  well  as  her  play  mates 

once  more. 

4 


SOUTHERN  READER. 
LESSON  X. 


[book 


Wheat,  Rye,  and  Oats. 

Wheat,  Rye,  and  Oats  are  the  names  of  the 
three  kinds  of  grain,  which  you  here  see.  The 
flour  of  which  our  fine  white  bread  is  made, 
comes  from  wheat.  The  small  grains  which  you 
see  on  the  top  of  the  stalk,  are  ground  in  a  flour 
mill ;  then  they  sift  out  the  bran,  that  is,  the  skin 
or  shell  of  the  grain,  and  the  rest  is  flour. 

Rye  is  a  kind  of  grain  which  looks  much  like 
wheat,  and  the  flour  is  made  in  the  same  way ; 
but  it  is  not  as  white  as  wheat,  and  the  bread 
made  from  it  is  brown.  Rye  bread  is  quite 
sweet  and  good,  and  at  the  North  they   use  a 


FIRST.J  WORDS  OF  FIVE   LETTERS.  35 

great  deal  of  it.  A  large  part  of  the  folks  there 
make  ail  their  bread  of  rye  flour.  On  much  of 
their  land  they  can  raise  a  good  crop  of  rye, 
while  wheat  would  yield  but  a  small  crop.  At 
the  West,  in  some  of  the  states,  they  raise  a 
great  deal  of  wheat ;  much  more  than  of  rye,  or 
oats,  or  corn.  The  land  there  is  just  the  right 
kind  for  the  growth   of  wheat. 

In  some  of  our  states,  here  at  the  South,  we 
raise  good  crops  of  corn  and  some  oats.  Oats 
are  the  chief  food  of  the  horse.  Rice  grows 
here  too ;  but  rice  does  not  grow  at  the  North. 

Our  land  yields  us  all  that  we  need  to  eat  and 
to  wear.  How  must  we  praise  that  good  and 
great  God  who  makes  all  these  things  grow  for 
our  use, — who  gives  us  the  wheat,  the  rye,  the 
corn,  and  the  rice,  for  food,  and  the  cot-ton  to 
wear,  and  who  takes  care  of  us  at  all  times  ! 


LESSON  XL 

Poor  Puss. 

Some  boys  and  girls  went  out  one  day  to 
walk  in  a  wood.  They  had  been  at  play  some 
time,  when  one  said,  Hark,  hark!  what  is  that? 
Do  you  not  hear  a  cat  mew  ? 


36  SOUTHERxN   READER.  "  [BOOK 

They  stood  quite  still,  and  soon  they  all  heard 
the  same  noise  ;  and  they  were  quite  sure  it  was 
a  cat  they  heard. 

Where  can  it  be  ?  said  one  of  the  boys  :  let 
us  look  till  we  find  it ;  for  I  can  not  guess  what 
a  cat  can  be  hid  in  this  wood  for,  so  far  from  a 
house ;  I  have  heard  of  wild  cats ;  but  if  this 
were  a  wild  cat,  it  would  run  from  us,  and  not 
mew  as  this  does.  I  think  it  mews  for  help ; 
that  it  has  got  in  some  hole,  or  trap,  or  tree,  and 
can  not  get  out.  Let  us  hunt  for  it,  or  else  it 
may  stay  here  and  die. 

So  they  all  went  to  work  to  hunt  in  all  the 
holes,  and  to  look  up  in  the  trees ;  and  they 
went  round  each  bush,  till  at  last,  on  a  sort  of 
bank,  or  low  hill,  they  saw  a  cat  in  the  midst  of 
a  bush.  It  was  in  a  sad  state,  so  lean  and  thin, 
and  with  some  of  the  fur  torn  from  its  skin. 
One  of  the  boys  got  up  on  the  bank,  and  went 
near  it.  He  found  a  piece  of  cord  which  had 
been  tied  at  one  end  to  the  thick  part  of  the 
cat's  tail,  and  the  rest  of  the  cord  was  made 
fast  to  the  bush,  so  that  the  poor  cat  was  held 
there,  and  could  not  get  free.  The  cord  had  cut 
the  tail,  so  as  to  make  a  large  sore  place.     The 


FIRST.]  WORDS  OF  FIVE   LETTERS.  37 

boy,  with  his  knife,  cut  the  cord  that  held  the 
cat,  and  then  he  put  out  his  hand  to  take  her 
up  in  his  arms ;  but  the  poor  thing  had  been 
made  half  mad  with  pain  and  fear,  so  that  she 
would  not  let  him  touch  her. 

The  girls  said,  Do  not  touch  her,  James  ;  she 
will  fly  at  you.  Hark,  what  a  noise  she  makes,  as 
if  she  were  in  a  great  rage  !     She  must  be  mad. 

This  was  true ;  for  as  I  have  said,  she  was 
half  wild,  and  did  not  know  those  who  would  be 
kind  to  her,  from  her  foes. 

James  left  her  and  came  down  the  bank ; 
when  all  at  once  she  ran  off,  and  was  soon  out 
of  sight. 

Then  these  boys  and  girls  said,  How  glad  we 
are  that  wTe  came  this  way  to-day,  for  it  is  a  lone 
place,  where  few  folks  pass,  and  she  must  soon 
have  been  quite  mad  or  dead.  Who  can  have 
done  this  bad  deed  1  Who  could  tie  a  poor  cat 
to  a  bush,  and  leave  her  there  to  die  1 

One  of  the  boys  then  said,  I  will  tell  you  how 
I  think  it  was.  I  have  no  doubt  this  is  the  cat 
I  saw  a  few  days  since  run  past  our  house  with 
a  tin  pot  tied  to  her  tail,  and  a  crowd  of  boys  were 
with   her,  and,  I  dare  say,  drove  her  from  place 

4* 


38  SOWTHERN   READER.  [BOOK 

to  place,  till,  in  her  fear,  she  ran  here  to  hide, 
and  get  from  them.  The  tin  pot  would  be  torn 
off  by  the  trees  and  thick  grass,  and  then  the 
piece  of  cord  that  was  left  on  her  tail  would 
wind  round  and  round  this  bush  so  fast  that  she 
could  by  no  means  get  loose.  She  looks  so  thin, 
that  I  dare  say  she  has  been  here  some  days;  and 
it  is  three  days  since  I  saw  the  cat  run  past  with 
the  tin  pot  at  her  tail 

I   once   did  the  same  thing ;  that  is  to  say,  I 
was  with  some  boys  who  did  an  act  like  this 
and  I  was  so  wrong  as  to  think  and  call  it  fun 
but  I  am  sure  it  is  the  last  time  I  shall  be  so  bad 
for  who  can  see  the  sad  state  of  this  poor  cat, 
and  then  be  so  bad  as  to  do  the  like  I 


SIX  LETTERS. 
LESSON  I. 

A  bright  scheme.  A  choice  cheese. 

A  strong  crutch.  A  swift  stream. 

A  shrill  sound.  A  brick  church. 

A  fierce  beast.  A  gold  brooch. 

A  large  squash.  A  star  shines. 

A  good  school.  A  strong  string. 


FIRST.] 


WORDS   OF  SIX  LETTRS. 


39 


'      LESSON  II. 

[A  SUNDAY  SCHOOL.] 


A-   School   room   full   of  good  Girls  and  Boys 

He  taught  the  whole  school. 
The  clocks  both  strike  twelve. 
He  drinks  from  the   spring. 
The  prince    made   a   speech. 
She  cleans  the  stone   hearth. 
George   has    a   strong   crutch. 
I   choose  the   large    switch. 
They   hear   the   wretch    scream. 
The    saints   will   praise    God. 


40  SOUTHERN  READER.  [BOOK 

He   sought    for    a   friend. 
Do    not   grease   your    sleeve. 
That   branch   has   large    leaves. 
My   friend  gave   me   grapes. 
The   barque  brings   rich  fruits. 
He   bought  a   choice   cheese. 


LESSON  II. 


The  horse  drinks  at  the   trough. 

Plants  grow  in  the  ground  from  seeds. 

In  the  spring  the  grass  looks  green  and  fresh. 

Kings  and  Queens  wear  crowns  of  gold. 

We  go  to  church  on  the  first  day  of  the 
week. 

The  new  broom  sweeps  clean. 

When  the  cock  crows,  he  makes  a  shrill  and 
loud  noise. 

The  troops  march  to  the  sound  of  the  drum. 

I  should  like  a  bunch  of  sweet  grapes. 

Wolves  howl  in  the  woods  at  night. 

Limes  are  sour  fruit. 

A  phrase  is  a  short  form  of  speech. 


FIRST.]  WORDS   OF  SIX  LETTERS.  41 

A  shrine  is  a  case,  or  box. 
Pears  are  choice  fruit. 
Long  rains  will  make  the  ground  moist 
We  move  our  limbs  at  the  joints. 
A  gourd  grows  on  a  vine  like  a  squash. 
The  birds  fly  from  branch  to  branch  on  the 
trees,  and  hold  fast  to  the  limbs  by  their  claws. 


LESSON  IV. 

The  Dog  barks  ;  the  Hog  grunts ;  Pigs  squeal ; 
the  Horse  neighs  ;  the  Ass  brays  ;  the  Cock 
crows;  the  Cat  purrs;  the  Kit  mews;  the  Cow 
lows ;  Calves  bleat ;  Wolves  howl ;  the  Fox 
barks ;  Mice  squeak ;  the  Sheep  bleats ;  Bees 
hum;  Birds  chirp  and  sing;  Rooks  caw;  the 
Duck  quacks  ;  the  Owl  hoots  ;  Boys  and  Girls 
talk,  and  laugh,  and  cry. 


LESSON  V. 

The  Great  God. 


Come,  let  us  praise  God,  for  He  is  great ;  let 
us  bless  God,  for  He  is  good. 

He  made  all  things :  the  round  world  and  all 
the   things  that  are  in   it ;    the  sun  to  rule   the 


42  SOUTHERN  READER.         [BOOK 

day,  and  the  pale  moon  and  the  bright  stars  to 
rule  the  night. 

He  made  the  great  whale  in  tne  sea,  and  the 
small  worm  that  crawls  on  the  ground. 

The  birds  sing  in  praise  to  God ;  their  notes 
sound  sweet  in  the  green  shade. 

The  brooks  praise  God  as  they  run  on  the 
smooth  stones. 

The  wide  seas  praise  God  as  their  huge  waves 
dash  on  the  sands  of  the  shore. 

I  will  praise  God  with  my  voice,  for  I  may 
praise   Him,  though  I  am  but  a  child. 

A  few  years  since  and  I  was  but  a  babe,  and 
my  tongue  was  dumb  in  my  mouth.  And  I  did 
not  know  the  great  name  of  God,  for  my  mind 
was  weak. 

But  now  I  can  speak,  and  my  tongue  shall 
praise  Him;  I  can  think  how  good  he  is,  and 
my  heart  shall  love  Him. 

Let  Him  call  me  and  I  will  come  to  Him; 
as  I  grow  in  years  I  will  praise  him  more.  I 
will  think  of  the  great  and  good  God,  as  long 
as  my  life  shall  last. 


FIRST.]  WORDS  OF  SIX  LETTERS.  43 

LESSON  VI. 

The  Old  Sheep  and  her  Lamh. 

One  day  an  old  sheep,  with  her  young  lamb 
was  in  a  large  field  with  the  rest  of  the  flock. 
The  sun  was  warm,  and  the  lamb  was  quite  gay 
and  full  of  life  and  play.  It  ran  here  and  there, 
up  and  down,  and  round  and  round ;  but  it  ran 
most  by  the  hedge,  as  it  was  a  warm  spot,  and 
the   high  hedge  kept  off  the  wind. 

At  last,  in  its  glee,  the  poor  lamb  ran  in  the 
midst  of  a  bush  which  was  quite  full  of  thorns, 
and  the  thorns  took  hold  of  its  wool  and  held  it 
fast,  so   that  it  could  not  get  free. 

The  old  sheep,  wrho  was  not  far  off,  heard  it 
bleat,  and  she  ran  to  it  to  help  it ;  but  in  vain  did 
the  old  sheep  pull  the  bush:  she  could  not  set  her 
lamb  free.  At  last  the  sheep  left  the  bush,  and  ran 
as  fast  as  she  could  to  the  next  field,  where  there 
was  an  old  ram.  The  ram  had  a  pair  of  large 
horns.  The  sheep  told  the  ram,  (that  is,  she  told 
him  tn  her  way,)  the  sad  case  of  her  lamb.  The 
ram  ran  with  her  to  the  bush,  and,  with  the  help 
of  his  horns,  he  and  the  old  sheep  set  the  poor 
lamb  free,  with  the  loss  of  some  of  its  wool.     I 


44  SOUTHERN  READER.  [BOOK 

dare  say  the  poor  lamb  did  not  go  near  that  bush 
for  a  long  time. 


LESSON  VII. 

Make  a  Good  Use  of  Time. 

Strive,  my  dear  young  friend,  to  make  the  best 
use  of  your  time,  and  in  the  days  of  your  youth 
learn  those  things  which  will  do  you  good,  and  be 
of  use  to  you  when  you  are  grown  up.  Now  is 
the  time  for  you  to  fit  your  self  for  a  man,  and  so 
you  must  take  pains  to  learn,  for  that  will  be  for 
your  good  all  the  days  of  your  life. 

If  you  let  these  days  of  youth  and  bloom  slip 
from  you,  you  will  see  them  no  more ;  they  will 
be  past  and  gone,  and  lost  to  you. 

It  is  wrong  for  you  to  waste  too  much  of  your 
time  in  vain  things,  and  I  hope  you  will  strive  to 
make  the  most  of  it,  while  youth  lasts,  so  that  you 
may  gain  that  which  no  one  can  take  from  you. 

If  you  go  to  school,  learn  your  tasks  well,  and 
do  not  waste  an  hour  in  play,  till  you  are  quite 
sure  you  shall  not  miss  a  word.  Strive  at  all  times 
to  be  at  the  head  of  your  class,  and  to  learn  as  fasi 
as  the  best  boy  in  the  school. 


FIRST.]  WORDS   OF   SIX   LETTERS  45 

When  you  are  grown  up,  you  will  find  that 
all  you  now  learn  will  be  of  great  use  to  you, 
and  you  will  feel  that  he  was  a  true  friend  to 
you  who  strove  to  teach  you,  in  the  days  of 
your  youth,  those  things  which  would  be  of  use 
to  you  when  you  are  a  man. 


LESSON  VIII. 

The   Walk 

What  a  fine  rain  we  have  had  to-day.  It 
is  gone  now  ;  the  sky  is  blue ;  there  is  not  a 
cloud  to  be  seen.  How  clear  and  bright  the 
sun  shines. 

Let  us  take  a  walk  in  the  fields,  to  see  the 
lambs  play  on  the  hills ;  to  see  the  cows  and 
sheep  eat  grass;  and  to  hear  the  birds  sing 
their  sweet  songs. 

Look,  how  the  lambs  skip  and  play.  Hark, 
how  the  birds  sing.  Sweet  birds ;  if  you  would 
all  come  to  me,  I  would  feed  you. 

I  wish  Jane  had  come  with  us.  She  likes 
to  take  a  walk  on  a  fine  day,  like  this,  and 
to    see   the   lambs    skip   from    hill    to   hill,    and 

5 


46  SOUTHERN  READER.  [BOOK 

hear  the  birds  sing  in  the  green  groves.  Shall 
I  go   for  her  now  1 

No ;  it  is  too  late.  It  will  soon  be  time  for 
us  to  go  home.  She  shall  walk  with  us  the 
next  time  we  come  this  way. 

I  think  our  dogs,  Pinch  and  Tray,  should 
have  come  with  us,  as  they  like  so  well  to  run 
in  the  fields.  If  they  were  here,  how  they 
would  set  up  their  tails,  and  run  from  field  to 
field. 

If  they  were  here,  they  might  scare  the  sheep 
and  young  lambs,  and  then  we  should  wish 
them  at  home.  Dogs  some  times  kill  sheep 
and  lambs,  and  that  makes  them  fear  the  dogs. 

The  sun  is  so  hot,  I  wish  to  go  home.  Shall 
we  go  the  same  way  that  we  came? 

No ;  we  will  go  by  the  side  of  the  wood. 
Then  the  trees  will  make  us  a  good  shade. 

The  sun  is  so  hot,  that  I  feel  quite  weak 
and  faint. 

When  we  get  to  the  spring  by  the  wall, 
we  will  stop  and  take  a  drink.  That  spring 
is  quite  cold;  and  we  must  not  drink  much 
of  it  when  we  are  so  warm. 


FIRST.]  WORDS  OF  SIX  LETTERS.  47 

LESSON  IX. 

The  Cow. 

Do  you  know  who  makes  it  rain  ?  I  will 
ell  you.  God  makes  it  rain.  Do  you  see  that 
dark  cloud  1  That  cloud  will  bring  rain.  Rain 
comes  from  the  clouds.  If  it  did  not  rain,  grass 
would  not  grow,  and  then  the  cow  would  give 
us  no  milk.  Cows  eat  grass,  and  that  makes 
them  give  milk.  Nice,  rich,  sweet  milk.  Are 
you  fond  of  milk  I  Bread  and  milk  is  good  food 
for  girls  and  boys. 

The  cow  is  kind  to  yield  us  her  sweet  milk. 
She  is  a  good  friend  to  us  and  we  should  treat 
her  well.     We  should  be  kind  to  all  dumb  beasts. 

The  flesh  of  the  cow  is  good  food  ;  it  is  what 
we  call  beef.  Their  young  are  calves ;  and  the 
flesh  of  the  calf  is  veal.  The  cow  is  found  in 
most  parts  of  the  world ;  but  she  is  wild  and 
fierce  in  some  parts,  though  ours  are  quite  tame. 

Cups  to  drink  out  of,  are  some  times  made 
from  the  horns  of  the  cow,  and  so  are  combs 
and  horn  spoons.  Of  the  skins,  or  hides,  of 
both  cows  and  calves,  boots  and  shoes  are  made, 
and    the  bones  and  hair   are  of  much  use  too 


48  SOUTHERN  READER.  [BOOK 

And  now  how  should  we  love  that  great  and 
wise  God  who  gave  us  the  cow,  and  who  taught 
us  what  use  to  make  of  each  part  of  her !  who 
made  all  things  for  the  use  of  man,  and  who 
gives  us  all  that  we  need,  and  all  that  is  for 
our  good  ! 

LESSON  X. 

[WASHINGTON.] 


A  great,  and  good,   and  wise  man.     From  his 
youth  the  law  of  truth  was  in  his  mouth 


Keep    Your     Word. 

John  went  out  to  walk  one  day,  with  his 
fath-er:  the  wind  was  high,  and  they  had  not 
gone   far  when   John's  cap   blew  off. 

John,  why  can  not  you  keep  your  cap  on 
your  head,   and  why   do  you  hold   it  on   thus? 


FIRST.]  WORDS  OF  SIX  LETTERS.  49 

Why,  pa,  said  John,  I  have  no  strap  to  m) 
cap. 

But  where  is  the  strap  1     You  nad  one  once 
have  you  lost  it  since  you  came  out  ? 

No,  pa,  I  have  not  lost  it ;  I  have  left  it  at 
home.  It  came  off  the  last  time  I  wore  my 
cap.  I  could  not  think  to  put  it  on,  and  I  did 
not  bring   it  with   me. 

This  is  wrong,  John,  and  shews  great  want 
of  care ;  hut  as  it  is  the  first  time  you  have 
done  so,  I  will  go  in  the  next  house  we  pass, 
and  ask  for  a  piece  of  cord  to  tie  your  cap  on 
with :  but  the  next  time  you  come  out  with  no 
strap,  I   shall   send   you  back. 

John  said,  I  will  be  sure  to  mind  what  you 
say,  pa,  and  you  shall  find  that  I  will  keep 
my   word. 

His  fath-er  then  went  to  a  house  they  saw 
next  the  road  side,  where  a  man  was  so  kind 
as  to  give  him  a  piece  of  cord,  with  which  he 
made  John's  cap  fast  on  his  head,  so  that  it 
kept  on  firm  all  the  time  they  were  out,  in  spite 
of  the   high   wind. 

The  next  few  days  were  wet,  so  that  John 
could  not  go  out ;    but  the  first  fine  day,  his  farh- 


50  SOUTHERN  READER.  [iiOOK 

er  said  to  him,  Come,  John,  you  may  now  take 
a  short  walk  with  me ;  but  be  quick,  as  I  am 
in    haste. 

John  ran  up  stairs  to  dress,  in  great  haste, 
and  out  they  went.  The  wind  was  high  on 
this  day  too.  He  soon  felt  he  could  not  long 
keep  his  cap  on  his  head,  for  he  had  come 
out  and  left  his  strap  at  home :  so  he  held  it 
on   with  his    hand. 

But  he  soon  found  his  hand  get  cold ;  so  cold 
that  he  could  scarce  feel  the  cap ;  for  in  his  haste 
he  had  not  had  time  to  put  on  his  gloves;  so 
he  took  his  hand  from  his  cap  to  put  them  on. 
Just  then  came  a  great  gust  of  wind ;  off  blew 
the  cap.  He  ran  to  pick  it  up,  but  still  it  blew 
on,  on,  on;  John  ran  on,  on,  too,  to  catch  it; 
but  just  as  he  got  near  it  he  made  a  trip,  and 
down  he  fell  in   the   mud. 

A  good  boy  ran  to  stop  the  cap,  which  the 
wind  still  blew  on  at  a  great  rate ;  and  he  soon 
got  it  and  came  back  with  it  to  John,  who  was 
all   mud   from   head   to   foot. 

His  pa  now  said,  John,  go  back;  I  told  you 
the  next  time  you  came  out  with  no  strap  on 
your  cap,  I  should  send  you  back ;  and  if  I  had 


FIRST.]  WORDS   OF  SIX  LETTERS.  51 

not  said  so,  I  could  not  take  yon  with  me,  for 
you  are  all  mud,  and  not  fit  to  be  seen.  You 
have  lost  a  nice  walk,  and  what  is  worse  than 
that,  you  have  not  kept  your  word. 


LESSON  XI. 

The  Boy  with  one  great  Fault. 

I  wish  all  my  tales  were  of  good  girls  and 
boys ;  but  I  fear  there  are  but  few  girls  and  boys 
who  have  not  at  least  one  bad  fault,  or  trick. 

I  hope  all  who  read  these  tales  will  try  to 
act  like  those  who  are  good ;  and  if  they  too 
have  a  bad  fault  or  trick,  I  hope  they  will  try 
to  get  rid  of  it,  that  they  may  be  good  in  all 
things. 

A  boy  whose  name  was  George  Hones,  and 
who  was  six  years  old,  could  read  well,  spell 
well,  and  add  up  sums  well  on  his  slate.  He 
was  good  at  his  tasks  and  at  his  meals,  and  he 
would  give  and  lend  his  toys  to  those  with 
whom  he  was  at  play,  and  he  did  as  his  fath-er 
and  moth-er  bade  him.  Now  you  will  say,  This 
must  have  been   quite  a  good   boy,  then.      No, 


52  SOUTHERN  READER.         [BOOK 

he  was  not  quite  a  good  boy,  for  he  had  one 
great  fault,  and  it  was  this :  he  would  call  his 
nurse  bad  navies,  and  this,  too,  when  he  was  not 
seen  or   heard  by  his  pa-pa   and   mam-ma. 

This  nurse  had  the  care  of  him  from  the  time 
he  was  but  a  babe;  and  once,  when  he  was  quite 
sick,  and  in  a  great  pain,  she  had  been  so  kind  as 
to  sit  up  all  night  by  his  bed  side,  to  watch  and 
nurse  him ;  and  yet.  he  did  not  think  of  all  this 
kind  care,  as  he  should  have  done  ;  but  if  she 
told  him  of  a  fault,  or  if  she  bid  him  do  what 
he  did  not  wish  to  do,  when,  too,  it  was  for  his 
own  good,  he  would  use  bad  words  to  her,  and 
call   her  names. 

This  made  his  poor  nurse  sad;  and  sb/.  said 
to  him,  George,  I  must  tell  your  pa  how  rude 
you  are :  for  1  fear  you  will  growT  up  to  be  a 
bad  man,   if  you  go  on  in  this  way. 

Then  he  said  to  her,  Pray  do  not  tell  of  me 
this  time ;  I  will  be  a  good  boy.  But  he  did  not 
keep  his  word ;  and  he  grew  worse  and  worse, 
so  that  at  last  Jane  told  his  pa-pa  and  mam-ma 
of  his  bad  tricks. 

They  were  both  quite  sad  to  think  that  George 
should  be  such   a  rude  boy,  and  this,  too,  when 


FIRST. J  WORDS  OF  SIX  LETTERS.  53 

they  did  not  know  but  tnat  he  was  quite  good. 
And  they  said,  We  must  cure  him  of  his  bad 
ways. 

So  they  shut  him  up  in  a  room  where  he 
could  see  no  one,  and  kept  him  there  for  a 
whole  week,  and  did  not  let  Jane  go  near  him, 
to  wait  on  him,  or  dress  him,  or  put  him  to 
bed. 

Oh !  then  how  he  did  wish  for  his  kind 
Jane  ;  and  he  felt  what  it  was  to  lose  a  good 
friend.  He  had  no  toys  to  play  with,  no  books 
to  read,  no  slate,  no  one  to  talk  with,  and  he 
was  so  sad  and  dull,  he  could  not  but  think  the 
day  so  long,  and  that  there  would  be  no  end 
to  this  sad,  long  dull  week. 

But  he  had  time  to  think  of  what  had  made 
him  so  sad;  it  did  him  good;  he  knew  it  wat 
his  own  acts  that  had  made  him  feel  thus.  And 
at  last  he  said,  It  is  but  right  that  I  should  be 
sad  and  dull,  and  that  I  should  not  see  Jane ; 
for  I  did  not  treat  her  well  when  I  was  with 
her. 

At  the  end  of  the  week  George  was  let  out, 
and  he  was  not  heard  to  use  bad  words  from 
that   time. 


54 


SOUTHERN  READER. 

ONE  SYLLABLE. 

LESSON  I. 

[a  wagon  load  op  cotton.] 


[book 


A  six  horse    team   with    a   large  load ;    and   a 
man   with  his   dog  and   gun. 


Large    bales. 
Strong    wheels. 
Great  strength. 
Straight  course. 
Bright  thought. 
Stout  teams. 
Wide  grooves. 
Broad  leaves. 


White   clouds. 
Six  horse    team. 
Rich  freights. 
Huge  breadth. 
Loud  screams. 
Great  weight. 
Strange  speech. 
Green  fields. 


F/UST.j  WORDS  OF  ONE  SYLLABLE.  0f> 

LESSON  II. 

Out  of  School. 

School  is  out, 
But  do  not  shout; 
School  is  done, 
But  do  not  run. 
Put  up  your  slate, 
Neat  and  straight- 
Make  your  bow, 
If  you  know  how. 
Take  your  "  spell-nig" 
To  your  dwell-ing ; 
Your  "  read-ing"  too 
Keep  clean  and  new  ; 
Now  go  home, 
But  do  not  r^am ; 
From  the  way 
You   must  not  stray. 
Learn  your  task, 
Then  mam-ma  ask 
For  leave  to  play, 
And  so,  "  good  day." 


flfj  SOUTHERN  READER.  [BOOK 

LESSON  III. 

North,  East,   South,    West. 

What  o'clock  is  it  ?  It  is  twelve  o'clock 
It  is  noon.  Now  where  is  the  sun?  Turn 
your  face  to  him.  Look  at  the  sun.  The 
sun  shines  bright.  It  blinds  your  eyes.  If 
you  smoke  a  piece  of  glass,  and  look  at  the 
sun   through   that,    you   can   see  it  quite  plain. 

The  sun  is  in  the  south.  When  it  is  twelve 
o'clock,  if  you  look  at  the  sun  your  face  is 
to  the  south,  your  back  is  to  the  north,  your 
left  hand  is  to  the  east,  where  the  sun  ri-ses, 
and  your  right  hand  to  the  west,  where  the 
sun    sets. 

Far  in  the  north  it  is  cold,  quite  cold  ; 
there  they  have  a  great  deal  of  snow,  and 
hail,  and  ice,  all  the  year.  At  the  south  it  is 
warm.     East,   west,   north,  and  south. 

The  wind  blows.  Which  way  does  the 
wind  blow  1  Throw  up  some  grass,  and  that 
will  tell  you.  The  wind  blows  from  the  north. 
The  north  wind  is  cold ;  the  south  wind  is 
warm  ;  the  east  wind  brings  a  storm  of  rain ; 
the   west   wind  brings  a  storm   of  thun-der. 


FIRST.]  WORDS  OF  ONE  SYLLABLE.  57 

LESSON  IV. 

Charles 

Charles,  what  a  fine  thing  it  is  that  you  can 
read.  A  short  time  since,  you  know,  you  could 
not  read  at  all.  You  had  to  spell  each  word, — 
c-a-t — cat ;  d-o-g — dog.  Now  you  can  read  quite 
well,   and  you  like  fine  tales  in  short  words. 

Do  you  know  why  puss  is  not  as  good  as 
Charles  l  Puss  can  play  as  well,  and  she  can 
eat,  and  drink,  and  sleep,  and  mew ;  she  can 
hear,  and  see,  and  smell,  and  walk ;  and  she 
has  jour  legs,  while  Charles  has  but  two. 
Puss  can  run  as  well  as  you ;  she  can  beat 
you  in  a  race,  for  she  runs  quite  fast  ;  and 
she  can  climb  trees,  too,  and  catch  rats  and 
mice,    which  you    can    not    do. 

But  Puss  can  not  talk,  nor  can  she  learn  to 
spell,  or  read,  or  write ;  this  is  why  she  is  not 
as    good    as    Charles. 

Can  your  dog,  Watch,  read  1  No.  Will  you 
teach  him  1  Take  a  pin  and  point  to  the  words. 
No ;  he  can  not  learn ;  but  boys  and  girls  can 
learn.  They  must  be  taught  to  spell,  and  read, 
and  write.  If  they  do  not  learn,  they,  will  not 
be  good  for  half  as  much  as  the  cat  or  dog. 

6 


68 


SOUTHERN   READER. 


[book 


A  good  boy  will  do  as  he  is  bid ;  he  will 
mind'  what  is  said  to  him,  and  take  much 
pains  to  learn,  when  he  knows  that  he  will  in 
this  way  please  those  who  have  the  care  of  him. 
He  will  thank  those  who  are  so  kind  as  to 
teach  him,  and  will  think  of  all  they  say  to  him. 


lesson  v. 


Leave  to  Play. 

Now,  boys,  you  may  go  and  play.  You 
must  not  play  with  bad  boys,  for  they  will 
cheat  and  be  rude,  and  speak  bad  words.  It 
you  do  these  things,  good  boys  will  not  play 
with  you. 


FIRST. J  WORDS   OF  ONE   SYLLABLE.  59 

Do  uot  play  too  hard,  else  you  will  hurt 
the  sui  ill  boys.  You  should  be  brisk  at  play, 
but  nor  rude.  What  will  you  play?  Will 
you  pJay  hide  and  seek,  or  blind  hob,  or  ball? 
Or  will  you  jump  the  rope,  or  whip  the  top, 
or    fly   your   kites  1 

Here  is  a  top.  Can  you  spin  the  top  1 
You  should  not  spin  it  on  the  side  walk,  for 
you  will  be  in  the  way  of  those  who  wish  to 
pass.     Go  in  the  yard  and  spin  your  top  there. 

Can  you  play  ball!  Here  is  one  for  you; 
toss  it  up.  This  is  a  good  ball;  I  bought  it 
for  a  good  boy  ;  throw  it  on  the  ground ;  how 
well   it  bounds  !     Can  you  catch  the   ball  1 

Can  you  jump  the  rope  \  Girls  must  play 
some  times  as  well  as  boys,  so  they  must  jump 
the  rope.  It  is  good  for  their  health,  and  will 
make   them  strong. 


LESSON  VI. 

The   Sun  and  the  Moon. 

Come  here,  my  young  friends,  and  look  at 
the  sun.  The  sun  is  in  the  west ;  in  a  short 
time   it  will  set.     When  the  sun  is  down,   the 


60  SOUTHERN  READER.  [BOOK 

birds  will  fly  to  their  nests,  the  fowls  will  go 
to  their  roosts,  and  boys  and  girls  should  go 
to    their    beds. 

We  can  look  at  the  sun  now ;  he  does  not 
shine  so  bright  as  he  did  at  noon,  when  he 
was  high  in  the  sky.  See  how  fine  those 
clouds  are  !  Now  the  sun  goes  down  quite 
fast.  We  can  see  but  half  of  him.  Now  he 
is   all   gone.     Good   night   sun. 

Now  turn  your  face  to  the  east.  What  is 
that  which  shines  so  bright  there  ?  Is  it  fire  ? 
No ;  it  is  the  moon.  How  large  and  red  it 
is  !  The  moon  is  round  now,  for  it  is  a  full 
moon  ;  but  it  will  not  be  quite  so  round  the 
next  time  we  see  it ;  this  night  it  will  lose  a 
small  piece  from  one  side  ;  and  the  next  night 
a  piece  more ;  and  the  next  night  a  piece 
more,  and  so  on,  each  night,  till  it  is  in 
shape    like   a  bow   when  it  is  bent. 

It  will  not  rise  till  late  at  night,  when  you 
are  all  gone  to  bed ;  and  will  grow  less  and 
less  till,  in  two  weeks,  there  will  be  no  moon 
to    be   seen. 

Then  there  will  be  a  new  moon,  and  you 
will    see    it   when  it  is   near  night ;   it   will  be 


FIRST.]             WORtm  OF  ONE   SYLLABLE.  61 

some    what    in    the   shape   of  half  a   hoop,  and 

sharp  at  hoth  ends ;  but  it  will  grow  more  and 

more,    till    at   last,    in   two  weeks   time,    it  will 

be    a   round,  full   moon,  like  this,  and  you  will 

then   see  it  rise  in  the  east  once  more,  as  this 
does    now. 


LESSON  VII. 

The    Wolf  and  the   Lamb. — A    Fable. 

[A  Fable  is  a  tale  which  is  told  to  instruct  and  please, 
though  it  is  often  about  things  which  never  did  and 
never   can  happen.] 

One  hot  day,  a  Wolf  and  a  Lamb  came 
just  at  the  same  time  to  drink  in  the  stream 
of  a  clear  brook ;  the  Wolf  stood  where  the 
ground  was  high,  and  the  Lamb  stood  down 
the    stream    not    far    from    him. 

But  as  the  Wolf  had  a  great  mind  to  taste 
his  flesh,  he  would  fain  fall  out  with  the  Lamb. 

Fool,  says  he,  what  is  it  you  mean,  that  you 
stir  up  the  mud  so,  and  spoil  the  stream  where 
I  drink? 

You  must  be  quite  wrong,  to  be  sure,  Sir, 
said  the  poor  Lamb;  for  the  stream  runs  down 
from  you  to  me,   and  not  up  from   me  to  you. 

6* 


62  SOUTHERN  READER.         [BOOK 

Be  that  as  it  may,  said  the  Wolf,  you  are  a 
pert  young  rogue,  and  spoke  a  great  deal  of 
ill  of  me,  more  than  half  a  year  since. 

Sir,  says  the  Lamb,  that  could  not  be,  for  I 
was  not  born  at  the  time  you  speak  of. 

No!  said  the  Wolf;  then  I  am  sure  it  was 
that  vile  old  knave,  your  pa  ;  and  it  is  no 
more  than  just  that  his  son  should  pay  for  it. 
With  that  he  flew  on  the  poor  Lamb,  and 
tore   him   limb    from  limb   in   a   trice. 

Moral. — The  worst  of  men  know  so  well 
that  they  ought  to  be  good,  that  when  they 
do  wrong,  they  try,  by  some  art,  to  make  it 
seem   right. 


LESSON  VIII. 

The    Wolf  and  the  Kid. — A  Fable. 

Once  on  a  time,  when  an  old  Goat  went 
out  to  seek  for  some  food,  she  shut  up  her 
young  Kid  at  home,  bade  him  be  sure  to  keep 
the  door  fast,  and  not  let  any  one  in  till  she 
came  back,  and  then  to  look  out  and  see  who 
was  there ;  For,  Bill,  said  she,  if  you  do  not 
mind  what  I  say,  there  are  some  fierce  rogues 


FIRST.]  WORDS  OF  ONE   SYLLABLE.  63 

in   the  fields,  who  will  rush  in  and  eat  you  up 
at  once. 

Well,  well,  said  Bill,  and  if  you  had  not 
told  me,  I  think  I  should  have  had  the  sense 
to   take   care   what  I   did. 

The  good  old  Goat  set  out ;  bat  she  had 
not  been  gone  a  great  while,  when  the  same 
rogue  of  a  Wolf  who  eat  up  the  poor  Lamb 
and  had  heard  all  that  had  been  said,  came 
and   gave   a  knock   at  the   door. 

Who  is  there  ?  cries  Bill.  My  dear,  says 
the  Wolf,  who  strove  to  talk  like  the  old 
Goat,  it  is  I,  your  poor  old  ma. 

On  this  the  young  Kid  did  not  look  out,  as 
he  had  been  told  to  do,  but  drew  up  the  latch, 
and  so  in  flew  the  Wolf,  and  made  an  end  of 
him    in   a  short  time. 

Moral. — We  should  not  fail  to  pay  as  much 
heed  as  we  can  to  what  is  said  to  us  by 
those  who  know  more  than  we  do  what  is 
for  our  good ;  for  if  we  do  not  mind  them, 
but  make  light  of  what  they  say,  we  shall 
be  sure  to  smart  for  it. 


64 


SOUTHERN   READER. 
LESSON  IX. 


[book 


The    Wild  and  the    Tame   Horse. 

The  horse  is  a  fine  beast,  and  of  great  use 
to  man.  With  us  they  are  seen  in  a  tame 
state ;  but  in  some  parts  of  the  world  they 
are  wild,  and  live  in  large  droves.  When 
they  feed,  there  is  one  of  them  who  keeps 
watch,  as  a  sort  of  guard.  If  a  man  comes 
near  them,  the  one  who  keeps  watch  walks 
up  to  him,  as  bold  as  if  he  knew  no  fear, 
and  takes  a  good  look  at  him ;  but  if  the 
man   does    not    stop,   nor    turn    back,   then  this 


FIRST.]  WORDS  OF  ONE   SYLLABLE.  65 

horse  gives  a  loud  snort,  and  the  rest  of  the 
drove  then  set  off  on  a  full  run,  as  fast  as 
they  can  go,  while  the  one  that  kept  watch 
brings  up  the  rear. 

They  are  some  times  caught  by  a  kind  ol 
noose,  which  the  men  in  those  parts  learn  to 
throw  over  them  with  great  skill.  They  are 
then  held  fast  by  the  legs,  and  tied  to  a  tree, 
where  they  are  left  for  two  days.  For  these 
two  days,  the  men  give  them  no  food  or 
drink.  By  that  time  they  are  more  mild,  and 
in  a  few  weeks,  with  good  care,  they  get  to 
be  quite  tame. 

When  the  horse  is  dead,  his  skin  is  made 
use  of  for  trunks  and  har-ness;  and  seats  for 
chairs  and  stools  are  made  from  the  hair  of 
his  tail  and  mane.  His  flesh  is  cut  up  and 
fed  to  dogs. 

It  is  a  sad  thing  to  think  how  ill  some  bad 
men  treat  a  poor  horse.  The  horse  is  a  good 
friend  to  us,  and  a  good  man  will  be  kind 
to  the  poor  dumb  beast,  and  use   bin   \\~c}\. 


66  SOUTHERN  READER.  [BOOK 

LESSON  X. 

Poor    Old   Ruth. 

Poor  old  Rath  comes  down  the  steep  hill 
with  slow  steps.  She  is  weak  with  age,  her 
face  is  thin,  and  her  hair  is  grown  quite  grey. 
How  cold  she  looks  !  Her  gown  is  thin  and 
old ;  she  has  worn  it  a  long  time,  and  she  has 
not  got  a  cloak  to  keep   her  warm. 

Why  does  she  shake  so  1  She  shakes  with 
cold ;  for  there  was  a  frost  last  night  ;  and 
with  old  age,  for  poor  Ruth  is  quite  old.  Now 
she  stands  still  and  holds  by  the  rails,  for  she 
feels  wreak,  and  she  dare  not  go  on.  If  she 
falls  down,   she   may  break  her  leg  or  her  arm. 

But  see,  there  is  Miss  Cross  come  from 
her  own  house.  She  has  got  a  warm  cloak 
on,  her  shoes  have  thick  soles  to  keep  her  feet 
from  the  damp  ground,  and  she  has  a  pair  of 
gloves  to  keep  her  hands  from  the  cold  air. 
She  is  young  and  strong,  and  I  hope  she  will 
help   poor  Ruth   down   the   hill. 

No,  she  will  not.  She  is  a  proud  girl.  She 
has  a  hard  heart,  and  does  not  feel  for  the 
wants  of  the  poor.     See,  she  tries  not  to  look 


FIRST.]  WORDS   OF  ONE   SYLLABLE.  67 

that  way,  and  walks  close  to  the  fence.  What 
pains  she  takes  to  shun  the  spot  where  old 
Ruth  stands,  and  yet  one  may  see  by  her 
ace  that  she  knows  she  does  not  do  right ; 
for  she  frowns,  bites  her  lips,  and  looks  cross. 
*But  who  is  it  that  jumps  out  of  that  neat 
small  white  house,  on  the  road  side,  and  runs 
up  to  Ruth  to  lead  her  down  the  hill?  Ah! 
it  is  Ann  Love,  that  dear  good  child,  who 
helps   all  who   want   help. 

What  a  sweet  face  she  has  !  it  is  bright  with 
smiles.  Her  short  stuff  gown,  and  worn  out 
shoes,  will  not  screen  her  from  the  cold ;  but  her 
heart  is  warm  and  kind ;  and  when  the  north 
wind  blows,  and  the  air  is  cold,  she  does  not 
mind  it,  but  smiles  as  if  it  was  the  clear  sun 
shine  of  a   May    day. 

She  leads  Ruth  safe  to  the  foot  of  the  hill, 
and  picks  up  all  the  sticks  that  lie  in  her  way, 
and  puts  them  in  Ruth's  lap,  to  help  her  make 
a  fire.  When  she  leaves  her,  Ruth  says, 
Thank  you,  dear  Ann  Love,  I  will  pray  to 
God  to  bless  you,  and  He  will  bless  you  my 
dear  child  ;  I  know  He  will  ;  He  loves  all 
those  who   are  good   to   the   poor. 


gs 


SOUTHERN  READER. 

LESSON  XI. 


[book 


The    Black   Bear. 

There  are  three  kinds  of  bears  ;  the  black, 
the  white,  and  the  brown  bear. 

The  white  bear  lives  far  to  the  north, 
where  it  is  quite  cold.  He  is  strong  and 
fierce ;  much  more  so  than  the  brown  or  black 
bear,  and  so  large  that  they  are  some  times 
twelve  feet  in  length. 

The  brown  bear  is  quite  fierce,  too,  and 
eats  flesh.  He  grows  to  near  the  size  of  a 
large  hog. 

The  black  bear  does  not  live  on  flesh;  he 
can   not  be   brought  to  taste  it ;  his   chief  food 


FIRST.]  WORDS   OF   ONE   SYLLABLE.  69 

is  roots,  herbs,  and  fruits  ;  but  he  likes  sweet 
things,  and  is  as  fond  of  milk  and  hon-ey  as 
boys  and  girls  are.  The  bear  is  a  dull  beast;  he 
eats  as  much  as  he  can,  and  then  goes  to  his  den 
in  some  rock,  or  thick  wood,  or  trunk  of  an  old 
ttee,  where  he  sleeps  for  two  or  three  days. 

His  head  is  in  shape  some  what  like  thai 
of  the  fox  dog.  His  nose  is  long,  his  eyes  are 
small,  and  his  ears  and  tail  short.  His  legs 
are  thick  and  strong,  and  the  long  and  flat  soles 
of  his  paws  help  him  to  tread  firm  and  sure. 
His  feet  have  long  and  sharp  claws,  with  which 
he  can  climb  high  trees  with  great  ease. 

With  his  fore  paws  he  can  strike  a  hard  blow, 
and  such  is  their  strength,  that  with  them  he 
can  squeeze  a  strong  man  to  death. 

The  cub,  or  young  bear,  is  slow  in  its 
growth,  and  stays  with  the  dam  till  it  is  at 
least  a  year  old,  in  all  which  time  the  dam  takes 
great  care  of  it,  and  will  go  all  lengths  to 
save   her  young  from  harm. 

Men  some  times  tame  bears  and  teach  them 
to  dance.  They  lead  them  through  the  streets 
with  their  mouths  tied,  and  held  by  cords,  or 
chains ;    but    they    have   clubs   in   their    hands, 

7 


70 


SOUTHERN   READER. 


[book 

with  which  they  beat  them  and  make  them  do 
as  they  please  ;  for  the  bear  does  not  like  work, 
and    will  growl   at  the   stick  or  staff. 

Of   the    skin    of  the   bear,   with  the   hair  on 
muffs   and   caps    are   made,   which   are  worn  at 
the  North,  in  those  parts  where  they  have  quita 
cold  weath-er.     The  flesh   of  the  bear  is  sweet 
and  good  to  eat,   and  the  fat  is  of  great  use. 


LESSON  XII. 


Plain    Things. 

* 

A  babe  is  a  young  child.  When  first  born 
a  babe  has  no  teeth  to  chew  food,  and  must  be 
fed  with  milk. 


FIRST.]  \\  OKDS   OF  ONE   SYLLABLE.  71 

A  babe  sleeps  most  of  the  time.  He  can  not 
walk,  nor  speak ;  but  he  can  cry,  and  thus 
make   known   his  wants  and  his   pains. 

When  a  babe  is  a  year  or  two  old,  we  cease 
to  call  it  a  babe  ;  we  then  call  it  a  child  ;  it  may 
be  a  boy  or  girl.  A  child  can  walk,  and  run 
and  speak,  and  play. 

A  boy  plays  with  a  top,  or  hoop,  or  kite,  or 
jail.  A  girl  plays  with  a  doll.  Both  boys  and 
girls  love  to  hop  and  jump  and  run  and  romp, 
and  in  their  sports  they  soil  and  tear  their 
clothes,  and  make  a  great  deal  of  work  for  those 
who  are  so  kind  as  to  take  care  of  them,  and 
who  strive  to  keep  them  neat  and  clean  at  all 
times. 

Girls  and  boys  go  to  school  and  learn  to  spell 
and  read,  and  write.  Some  learn  fast,  and  some 
do  not ;  some  are  good,  and  some  are  not.  We 
all  love  those  who  are  good. 


lesson  xm. 
The    Works  of  God. 

You  have  told  me  that  there  is  a  God  who 
made  all  things,  and  who  takes  care  of  us  by 
night,  when  we  sleep,  and  by  day ;  that  He  is 


72  SOUTHERN  READER.         [BOOK 

a  good  God,  and  that  I  must  love  and  fear  Him 
But  T  do  not  see  God.  I  see  you,  and  you  are 
good  and  take  care  of  me  ;  but  I  do  not  see 
God.     Have  you  seen    God? 

No,  my  dear,  I  have  not  seen  God,  nor  can 
we  see  Him,  as  we  see  men ;  but  I  will  tell  you 
how  we  see  Him.  We  see  all  that  God  has 
made — the  earth,  the  sea,  the  sky,  the  sun,  the 
moon,  the  stars,  with  all  that  lives,  and  moves, 
and  grows.  All  these  things  seem  to  be  made 
for  us ;  for  all  are  of  use  to  us,  or  serve  to 
make  us  glad. 

In  these  things,  then,  we  see  how  great,  how 
wise,  how  good  God  is.  We  do  not  need  to 
see  His  form,  since  we  see  God  in  His  works. 
If  we  are  sad,  it  is  that  we  are  bad,  and  make 
a  bad  use  of  the  things  God  has  made,  and 
which  he  made  to  bless  us.  If  we  do  wrong, 
we  can  not  have  a  glad  heart.  Then  it  seems 
to  us,  that  God  looks  at  us,  through  these,  His 
works,  with  a  frown ;  and  then  it  is  we  dread 
the  wrath  of  God.  We  fear  He  will  not  love 
us,  and  take  care  of  us,  and  bless  us. 

But  when  we  have  done  no  wrong ;  when 
we  have  been  good  and  kind  to  all,  at  all  times, 


FIRST.]  WORDS  OF  ONE   SYLLABLE.  73 

how  gay  we  feel  as  we  look  at  the  earth,  the 
sea,  and  the  sky  ;  and  the  sight  of  them  seems 
to  make  us  more  glad;  for  we  feel  that  we 
have  done  no  ill. 

Then  it  seems  to  us  that  God  looks  at  us 
through  these,  His  works,  with  a  smile  ;  and 
then  it  is  we  love  God,  and  are  sure  that  He 
loves  us;  for  we  feel  we  are  good,  and  may 
hope  for  His  love.  It  is  true  that  we  still  fear 
Him ;  for  we  must  think  on  His  great  name, 
and  view  His  great  works  with  awe.  But  the 
fear  I  now  speak  of  is  not  like  the  dread  we 
feel  of  His  wrath  for  our  ill  deeds ;  it  is  a  fear 
which  makes  us  shun  what  is  wrong,  and  look 
up  to  Him  to  shield  us,  and  keep  us  in  the 
right  way.  Thus,  then,  though  you  do  not  see 
the  form  of  God,  as  you  see  me,  you  see  as 
much  as  is  good  for  you  to  know ;  and  if  you 
think  of  this  as  you  ought  to  think,  and  do 
to  all  men  as  you  would  have  all  men  do  to 
you,  you  need  not  fear  but  that  God  will  love 
and  bless  you,  both  in  your  youth  and  in  your 
old  age. 

7* 


74 


SOUTHERN  READER. 

LESSON  XIV. 


[book 


A    Walk   on  the    Beach. 

May  I  go  and  walk  by  the  sea  side  to  day  I 
Yes,  we  will  all  go  now,  for  I  fear  it  will  soon 
rain.  Call  Jane,  and  tell  her  to  put  on  her  hat 
and  come  with  us.  I  hope  it  will  not  rain, 
for  I  wish  so  much  to  walk   on  the  sea  shore. 

There  is  a  sail  a  great  way  off.  We  can 
but  just  see  it.  Look  at  it  through  the  spy- 
glass. Ah,  now  I  can  see  it  quite  plain.  It 
is  a  ship ;  I  can  see  the  three  masts.  What 
a  hne  thing  a  spy-glass  is !  I  am  glad  we 
thought   to   bring  ours   with  us. 

Look  at  that  fine  wave  ;  I  will  run  close  to  it. 
O,  dear,  how  wet  it  has  made  me ;  I  will  not  go 
so  near  the  next  time,  for  I  do  not  like  to  be  wet. 


FIRST.J  WORDS  OF  ONE   SYLLABLE.  75 

Look,  here  is  a  boat.  That  man  has  been 
out  in  his  boat  to  catch  fish.  Look  at  his  net. 
What  is  that  odd  fish  1  Can  that  be  a  fish  ? 
Yes,  it  is  a  crab.  See  its  claws.  Take  care 
that  it  does  not  take  hold  of  you  with  them 
and  nip  you. 

See,  it  makes  a  hole,  and  gets  quite  down 
into  the  sand.  It  will  soon  be  gone  if  the  man 
does  not  stop  it.  Now  it  runs.  See  !  it  goes 
side  ways.     Yes,  that  is  the  way  all  crabs  walk. 

And  what  is  that  fiat  fish  with  five  points 
for  legs  ?  That  is  a  star  fish.  May  I  have 
the  crab  l  Yes,  I  will  buy  it  of  the  man  for 
you.  We  will  take  it  home  and  boil  it,  for  it 
is  good  to  eat.  And  may  I  boil  the  star  fish 
too  1  No,  you  must  not  boil  the  star  fish ;  it 
is  not   good   to   eat. 


LESSON  XV. 

The  Mean   Boy. 

John  and  Sam  Brown  went  to  stay  writh 
their  aunt  Jones  for  a  month  ;  and  one  day  a 
friend  gave  them  some  cakes.  John  ate  his 
up,  not  as  soon  as  he  got  them,  but  in  a  day 


76  SOUTHERN  READER.  [BOOK 

or  two,  and  he  gave  some  of  them  to  his  friends. 
Sam  was  seen  to  eat  one  or  two  when  he  first 
had  them,  but  no  one  saw  them  from  that  time  ; 
but  five  or  six  times  in  the  day  Sam  was  seen 
to  steal  out  of  the  room.  His  aunt  could  no 
guess  why  he  went  out  of  the  room  in  so  sly 
a  way,  and  she  told  the  maid  to  watch  him  ; 
for,  said  she,  I  am  sure  he  does  not  go  out  in 
this  sly   way  to  do   what  is  right. 

The  maid  kept  watch,  and  when  he  left  the 
room  she  saw  him  creep  with  slow  and  soft 
steps  up  stairs  to  his  bed  room,  and  then,  in  a 
short  time,  come  out  and  creep  down  stairs. 
She  went  to  his  room  to  try  if  she  could  find 
out  what  he  had  been  there  for;  and  she  saw 
a  box  in  which  were  some  of  his  cakes.  She 
told  his  aunt  what  she  had  found,  who  said, 
Well,  this  is  a  sad,  mean  trick,  and  I  must  try 
to  cure  him  of  it,  or  he  will  grow  up  to  be  a 
mean  and  sly  man.  So  she  told  the  maid  to 
take  the  cakes  out  of  the  box  and  bring  them 
to   her,  but  to  tell  no  one  she   had  done  so. 

The  maid  did  as  she  was  bid,  and  took  the 
cakes  when  Sam  was  gone  out  for  a  walk. 
As   soon  as  he  came  back,  he  crept  up  stairs 


FIRST.]  WORDS  OF  ONE   SYLLABLE.  77 

to  his  box,  but  his  cakes  were  gone.  What 
was  he  to  do  1  He  did  not  dare  tell  his  aunt, 
or  John,  or  the  maid ;  for  he  knew  it  was  a 
mean  trick  to  hide  them,  and  he  felt  shame  to 
tell  he  had  done  a  mean  act ;  but  he  said  to 
himself,  I  wish  I  had  not  hid  my  cakes — who 
can  have  got  them  I  Not  John,  I  am  sure, 
for  he  would  not  take  what  was  not  his  own. 
The  next  time  I  get  some,  I  will  eat  part  01 
them  at  once,  and  share  the  rest  with  my  friends, 
and  not  hide  them.  But  Sam  had  yet  to  feel 
more  grief  than  the  first  loss  of  his  cakes  gave 
him.  His  aunt,  the  next  day,  gave  John  some 
more  cakes  and  plums ;  but  she  said  to  Sam, 
I  do  not  give  you  a  share  of  these  nice  things, 
Sam,  for  there  are  still  some  left  of  those  you 
had  last   week. 

Yes,  aunt,  1  had  some  in  a  box ;  but  they  are 
gone  ;  I    have  none   now. 

Why,  what  have  you  done  with  them  1  I 
have  seen  you  steal  out  of  the  room,  and  I  know 
it  was  to  go  up  stairs  and  eat  them  by  your 
self. 

They  are  not  there  now,  said  Sam ;  they  are 
gone ;    I   have  lost  them.      I    feel    great   shame 


78  SOUTHERN  READER.         [BOOK 

to  have  been  so  mean  as  to  hide  them  ;  and 
if  you  will  give  me  some  of  these,  you  shall 
see  that  I  will  do  so  no  more. 

No,  Sam,  I  can  not  do  this ;  but  there  are 
the  cakes  you  have  lost.  I  told  the  maid  to 
take  them  out  of  your  box,  that  you  might 
learn  not  to  be  mean  and  sly ;  they  are  your 
own,  and  I  give  them  back  to  you ;  for  I  did 
not  mean  to  keep  them ;  I  have  no  right  to  do 
so,  as  they  are  yours,  not  mine.  Had  you  not 
been  mean,  you  would  have  had  your  share  oi 
these. 

Sam  said  he  would  do  so  no  more;  and  he 
has  quite  left  off  such  sly,  mean  ways. 


LESSON  XVI. 

God  Knows  all  Things. 

There  is  one  God  and  there  is  no  God  but 
Him :  He  is  great,  and  wise,  and  good.  He 
made  us,  and  all  things  which  we  see ;  He 
made  the  sun  to  give  us  light  in  the  day  time, 
and  the  moon  and  stars  to  shine  in  the  night. 
He  made  this  world  in  which  we  live;  the  land, 
he  sea,  and  the  sky,  and  all  the  things  which 


FIRST.]  WORDS  OF  ONE   SYLLABLE.  79 

are  in  them ;  trees  and  plants  to  grow  out  of 
the  earth,  men  and  beasts  to  live  on  the  land, 
birds  to  fly  through  the  air,  worms  to  crawl  on 
the  ground,    and  fish  to   swim   in   the   sea. 

God  is  good  and  does  good  at  all  times  ;  He 
takes  care  of  all  things  which  He  has  made 
When  men  do  what  is"  right,  He  gives  them  all 
things,  and  makes  them  feel  glad  that  they  have 
done   right. 

O  then  let  me  love  God ;  for  He  has  made 
me,  and  He  is  good  to  me  at  all  times :  He  gives 
me  bread  to  eat,  and  clothes  to  keep  me  from 
the  cold ;  He  guards  me  from  harm  all  the  day 
long,  and  keeps  me  safe  while  I  sleep  in  the 
night.  God  makes  me  glad,  for  He  is  good  to 
all ;  I  will  then  do  good  to  all,  for  that  will 
please    God. 

God  sees  and  knows  all  things  which  He  has 
made.  He  sees  me  when  I  rise  from  my  bed  ; 
when  I  go  out  to  work  or  play,  He  is  with  me 
at  the  same  time  ;  and  when  I  lie  down  to  sleep 
at  night,  He  is  still  with  me.  Though  I  see 
not  the  wind,  yet  it  blows  round  me  on  all  sides  : 
so  God  is  with  me  at  all  times,  and  yet  I  see 
Him  not 


80  SOUTHERN  READER.  [BOOK 

If  God  is  with  me,  and  knows  all  that  I  do 
He  must  hear,  too,  what  I  say.  O  let  me  not 
then  speak  bad  words,  for  if  I  do,  God  will  not 
love  me  ;  but  let  me  be  just,  and  kind,  and  pure 
and  then  God  will  be  kind  to  me  and  will  do 
me   good. 


LESSON  XVII. 

Bad  Tricks. 

When  Charles  Bruce  was  at  home  from  school 
for  a  short  time,  he  went  to  see  his  aunt.  This 
aunt  had  no  boys  or  girls  of  her  own  to  play 
with  him,  so  she  told  him  she  would  take  him 
to  play  with  the  son  of  one  of  her  friends. 

Charles  Bruce  was  a  good  boy,  and  his  aunt 
thought  that  George  Smith,  the  boy  to  whose 
house  she  took  him,  was  the  same ;  she  had  not 
yet  heard   of  his  bad   tricks. 

George  Smith  had  carts,  and  whips,  and  bats, 
and  balls,  and  kites,  and  tops.  He  had  more 
toys  and  play  things  than  he  could  use,  and  so 
he  did   not   care   for  them    at  all. 

He  took  Charles  out  to  see  a  nice  swing  he 
had.  George  was  but  a  rude  boy  ;  he  did  not 
love    to   go    to   school,    nor   to   read   his    books 


FIRST.]  WORDS  OF  ONE  SYLLABLE.  81 

Charles  Brnce  knew  much  more  than  he  did, 
though  he  was  not  so  old  by  two  years.  George 
would  throw  stones  at  the  dogs  and  pigs,  and 
call  it  good  fun  when  he  made  them  howl  and 
cry.  If  he  was  at  play  at  trap  ball,  he  would, 
if  he  lost  the  game,  say  bad  words,  so  that  few 
boys  would   play  with  him. 

Charles  did  not  know  all  this,  but  he  soon 
found  some  of  it  out ;  for  the  cat  was  laid  on  the 
mat  by  the  door,  and  George  gave  her  a  kick 
as  he  went  by  ;  he  next  met  the  dog,  and  cut 
him  with  a  whip  he  had  in  his  hand ;  then  he 
threw  stones  at  a  poor  ass,  and  hit  it  so  hard 
on   the   leg   that  it   was   lame. 

Oh  fie,  fie  !  said  Charles  to  him,  how  can 
you   do   such   things  as  these  1 

Why,  do  you  not  like  to  throw  stones  1  said 
George. 

No,  said  Charles,  I  do  not ;  and  pray  what 
harm  had  that  poor  ass  done,  that  you  should 
choose  to  make  him  lame  i  -when  did  your  dog 
try  to  hurt  you  1  and  what  good  could  it  do  you 
to  make  his  back  smart  with  the  lash  of  your 

lip,  or  to  give  puss  such  a  great  bruise  on  the 


w 


%rVt\ 


side    with  the  toe  of  your   shoe  ? 

8 


82  SOUTHERN  READER.  [BOOK 

Why,  it  does  me  no  good  that  I  know  of, 
said  George  Smith ;  but  I  like  to  do  it.  It 
makes  them  run  as  if  they  would  break  their 
necks  with  haste,  when  they  see  me,  and  that 
makes  me  laugh.  I  love  to  laugh,  and  your 
dogs,  and  cats,  and  such  things,  do  not  feel 
much,  and  they  are  of  no  use  but  to  make  fun 
with. 

Well !  said  Charles,  you  may  do  as  you 
please,  but  I  can  not  laugh ;  but  at  the  pain  of 
such  things  as  dogs  and  cats,  I  would  choose 
to  cry  all  the  days  of  my  life  ;  and  give  me 
leave  to  tell  you,  that  you  are  quite  in  the  wrong, 
both  when  you  say  they  do  not  feel,  and  that 
they  are  of  no  use  but  to  make  fun  with.  Dogs 
guard  the  house  at  night  from  thieves,  while 
you  sleep  safe  in  your  warm  bed. 

Dogs  can  save  the  lives  of  men,  and  we  ought 
not  to   treat  them  ill. 

Cats  are  not  of  quite  so  much  use,  for  they 
do  not  guard  us  from  thieves  ;  but  they  keep 
mice  and  rats  from  the  house,  who  would  gnaw 
and  spoil  the  meat,  the  bread,  and  the  cheese. 

My  aunt  has  a  cat  who  comes  to  the  door 
to  meet  her,  when  she  has  been  out :  and   when 


FIRST.]  WORDS  OF  ONE  SYLLABLE  83 

my  aunt  sits  down  to  work,  puss  sits  down  too, 
and  purrs  to  show  how  glad  she  is  to  be  near 
some  one  who  is   good  to   her. 

How  can  you  think  they  do  not  feel  pain  ? 
They  have  flesh  and  bones,  as  well  as  we  have ; 
if  you  pinch  or  kick  them,  they  cry  out  and  run 
to  hide  in  some  place,  where  they  think  they 
shall  not  be  found  by  those  who  use  them  ill. 
If  they  did  not  feel  pain,  they  would  not  cry 
out,  but  lie   still  like   logs   of  wood. 

I  have  been  told  by  my  friends,  and  have  read 
it  in  books,  that  a  worm,  a  fly,  or  a  mite,  and 
all  things  that  have  life,  can  feel  pain ;  and  that 
if  we  learn  to  be  hard  of  heart  while  boys,  we 
shall  not  grow  up  to  be  good  men. 


LESSON  XVIII. 

Proverbs. 

A  small  leak  will  sink  a  great  ship 

A  stitch  in  time  saves  nine. 

As  the  old  cock  crows  the  young  one  learns 

All  the  wit  in  the  world  is  not  in  the  head. 

A  friend  is  not  so  soon  found  as  lost. 

A  bird  in  the  hand  is  worth  two  in  the  bush. 


84  sou'i'i^:;.N   ::!'ADER.  [BOOK 

Bought  wit  is  best,  if  not  bought  too  dear 

Cheer  up,  man,  God  is  still  where  he  was. 

Drive  thy  work ;   let  not  that  drive  thee. 

Do  no  ill  and  fear  no  harm. 

Do  all  that  you  can  to  be  good  and  you  will 
be  so. 

Fools  make  feasts  and  wise  men  eat  them. 

Friends  do  not  grow  on  every  bough. 

Hear  with  both  ears  and  then  judge. 

He  that  will  not  work  should  not  eat. 

It  is  hard  to  teach  an  old  dog  new  tricks. 

If  once  a  man  fall,  all  will  tread  on  him. 

Jack  at  all  trades  and  good  at  none. 

Keep  thy  shop  and  that  will  keep  thee. 

Look  not  a  gift  horse  in  the  mouth. 

Make  hay  while  the  sun  shines. 

Old  birds,  boy,  are  not  to  be  caught  with  chaff. 

Pride  must  fall. 

Quick  to  hear,  slow  to  speak. 

There  are  more  ways  to  the  wood  than  one. 

True  friends  are  rare ;  change  not  an  old 
friend   for   a  new   one. 

Time  and  tide  wait  for  no  man. 

When  the  sky  falls  we  shall  catch  larks. 

Wit  once  bought  is  worth  twice  taught. 


FIRST.]  WORDS   OF  ONE  SYLLABLE.  85 

You  have  hit  the  nail  on  the  head. 
You  can  have  no  more  of  a  cat  than  her  skin 
Youth,  like  the  spring,  will  soon  be  gone. 
Young  men's  knocks  old  men  feel. 
You  have  two   ears   and  but  one  tongue,  so 
pou  should  hear  twice  and  speak  once. 


LESSON  XIX. 


The  New  Kile. 

A  few  days  since,  as  James  Pratt  was  on 
the  road  to  a  field  near  home,  he  met  his  friend 
and  play  mate,  John  Reed,  with  a  new  kite  in 
his   hand. 

8* 


86  SOUTHERN  READER.  [BOOK 

You  have  a  nice  kite  there,  said  James ;  pray 
what  did  you  give  for  it  ? 

I  gave  just  ten  cents  for  it,  said  John.  Do 
you  think  it  cheap  or  dear? 

I  think,  said  James,  it  was  cheap  at  that 
price  ;  I  wish  I  could  get  one  as  good  for  the 
same.     But  were  is  your  cord  ? 

John  said  he  had  it  in  his  hand ;  and  he 
held  it  up,  and  told  James  that  it  was  long 
and  quite  strong. 

Now,  said  James,  let  us  go  down  to  the  green 
banks  of  the  bay,  where  the  wind  is  strong, 
and  make  it  fly.  John  was  glad  to  do  this, 
for  he  did  not  like  to  play  by  him-self,  and 
they  both   set  off  in  high  glee. 

When  they  got  to  the  spot,  they  saw  a  boy 
off  on  the  bay,  in  a  boat,  with  a  large  kite 
high  up  in  the  air.  They  soon  set  up  John's 
kite,  and  it  rose  well  at  first ;  but  the  wind  was 
too  strong,  and  in  a  short  time  it  fell  down  to 
the  ground.  In  its  way  down  it  got  caught 
on  the  branch  of  a  tree,  which  tore  a  large  hole 
in  it.  This  made  the  boys  feel  quite  sad  at 
first ;  but  it  did  not  last  long,  for  John  said  he 
thought  he  knew  how  to  mend  it  when  he  got 


FIRST.]  WORDS  OF  ONE  SYLLABLE.  87 

home  ;  so  they  wound  up  the  cord  and  the  tail 
and  he  bade  James  good  day,  and  took  the  kite 
home   with   him. 

The  next  day  they  went  to  the  same  spot, 
with  the  kite  as  good  as  new,  and  with  a  hope 
to  have  some  good  sport,  as  the  wind  was  not 
too  high. 

When  they  set  it  up,  it  rose  well,  and  with 
a  fine  grace.  It  soon  was  so  high  as  to  take  the 
whole  length  of  the  cord. 

James  had  hold  of  the  string,  and  he  gave  it 
a  kind  of  jerk,  which  broke  it.  So  the  kite  went 
down,  down,  down,  and  flew  a  long  ways  off, 
like  a  great  bird. 

O,  what  have  you  done  1  said  John.  James 
told  the  truth,  and  said  he  felt  bad  to  think  he 
had  lost  John  his  kite.  He  said  he  did  not  know 
a  jerk  like  that  could  break  the  cord. 

Well,  said  John,  we  may  as  well  go  home 
now.  If  we  run  to  catch  the  kite  we  shall  run 
in  vain  ;  if  we  sit  down  and  cry,  that  will  not 
bring  it  back.  If  I  were  to  beat  you,  it  would 
be  wrong,  and  would  do  me  no  good. 

What  a  good  boy  John  Reed  is !  We  hope 
he  will  soon  have  a  new  kite,  and  that  all  the 


88 


SOUT HE R  N    R  E A D E R . 


[book 


boys  who  know  him   will  be   as  kind  to  him  as 
he   was   to  James  Reed. 


WORDS  OF  TWO  SYLLABLES. 
LESSON  I. 


[OSCEOLA.] 


[POCAHONTAS.] 


Fear-less  warrior. 
Gold-en  nied-al. 
War-like  sol-dier. 
Wam-pum  gir-dle. 
Splen-did  blanket. 
In-dian  hero. 
Gal-lant  sav-age. 
Fear-fbl  war-cry. 
No-ble  chief-tain. 


In-dian  prin-cess. 
Youth-fill  maid-en. 
Gen-tle  fe-male. 
Truth-ful  por-trait. 
Pret-ty  pro-file. 
Friend-ly  wo-man. 
Ten-der  moth-er. 
Show-y  trin-kets. 
Lov-ing  daugh-ter. 


FIRST.]  WORDS  OF  TWO  SYLLABLES.  89 

LESSON  II. 

A  pleas-ant  and  sha-dy  re-treat. 
A  gar-den  of  fra-grant  iiow-ers. 
Hen-ry  is  al-ways  cheer-ful. 
The   wo-man  was  ver-y  an-gry. 
A  thou-sand  war-like  sol-diers. 
An-na  is  nev-er  care-less. 
The  child-ren  are  ver-y  qui-et. 
The  car-nage  was  dread-ful. 
We  will  re-turn   next  sum-mer. 
Ap-ples  are   made  in-to  ci-der. 
Hap-py  is  he  that  find-eth   wis-dom. 
Wis-dom  is   bet-ter  than  rich-es. 
Ed-win  re-cites  his  les-sons  well. 
Charles  ob-tains    ma-ny  pri-zes. 
He    is   a  thor-ough    schol-ar. 
Live-oak   is  good  tira-ber   for   ships. 
Squir-rels  are  nim-ble  lit-tle  crea-tures. 
Rich-es  take  to  them-selves  wings. 
Learn-insr  is  of  great   val-ue. 
Knowl-edge  is  pow-er. 


90 


SOUTHERN   READER. 

LESSON    III. 
[a  plantation,  and  palmetto  trees.] 


[book 


The   planter   tills   the   soil. 

Large  crops  of  cotton  and  sugar  will  repay 
the    labors    of   the    planter. 

The  pal-met-to  is  a  tall  tree.  It  has  a 
high    trunk    crowned   with    large    leaves. 

Fort  Moultrie,  which  made  such  a  gallant 
defence  against  nine  or  ten  British  ships,  was 
built  of  logs   cut  from   the  pal-met-to   tree. 

Bees   live   in   hives   and    collect    honey. 

Vain   children   are  fond  of  gay   clothes. 

Merchants  often  put  their  money  in  a  bank 
for   safe   keeping. 

We   punish    bad  men   to   prevent   crimes. 


first]         words  of  two  syllables.  91 

Medals   are  given  as  rewards  at  schoo.. 
Our   bodies   are   mortal ;    they   will   soon   die. 
The    mocking  bird  is  a  sweet  singer. 
Squirrels   leap   from  tree   to  tree. 
A   napkin   is    a   kind    of  towel. 
Firemen  have  ladders   to  climb   upon  houses 
The  sailor  steers   a  vessel   with   a   rudder. 
Rabbits  hide   themselves   in   secret  places. 


LESSON  IV. 

A  Ride  on  the  Pony. 

Bring  the  pony,  Jim,  for  the  little  boy  to 
ride.  Pretty  pony,  how  he  shines,  and  how 
his  long  tail  hangs  to  the  ground !  Now,  Jim, 
fix  the  saddle  strong,  that  the  little  boy  may 
be    quite    safe. 

Put  the  little  boy  on  the  pony ;  give  him 
the  reins  and  a  little  switch.  What  a  brave 
boy  !  Now,  Jim,  walk  by  the  side  of  the  little 
boy,  that  he  may  not  fall.  Sit  up  straight, 
little  boy,  and  do  not  whip  the  pony,  until  you 
are  bigger. 


92  SOUTHERN  READER.         [BOOK 


LESSON  V. 


Five   Years  Old. 


Try    me,    father,    try    me 
And  mark  me  on  the   wall; 

Let  little   sis  stand  by  me, 
And  see   if  I'm    not  tall! 

Hear  me,   mother,  hear  me, 
How  very  well  I  read; 

Oh,  now  you  need  not  fear   me, 
I   know  I  can,    indeed. 

Come   meet  me,  brother,   meet  me 
And   let  us  run  a   race; 

Last  year  you  used  to  beat  me 
In   every   little    chase. 

Maumer*  you  need  not  mind  me, 

I'm   not  so   very  small, 
That  you   must   walk  behind   me, 

To  catch  me  if  I  fall. 

*  Name  for  negro  nurses. 


WORDS   OF   TWO   SYLLABLES. 


FIRST.J 

Why,  what   can  make  me  grow  so, 
And  talk   in  such    a  way  ? 

I'm  a  man,   and  you  must  know  so, 
I'm  five  years  old  to-day. 


93 


LESSON  VI. 
[a  wagon  encampment.] 


The   Stars. 

It  is  night.  The  teamsters  have  taken  the 
tired  horses  from  their  huge  wagons,  which  you 
see  loaded  with  heavy  bales  of  cotton,  and  are 
now  feeding  them.  Some  of  the  men  are  seated 
around  a  fire,  which  one  of  the  drivers  is  making 
with  a  few  dry  sticks.     They  all  look  weary. 


(J4  SOUTHERN  READER.  [BOOK 

Soon  the j  will  eat  their  supper,  and  then  each 
one  will  seek  out  some  good  place  to  sleep  till 
morning.  They  are  not  afraid  to  sleep  by  the 
road-side,  under  the  clear  blue  sky.  They  do 
not  fear  to  have  the  bright  stars  shine  upon  them, 
as  the  timid  little  girl  did,  of  whom  I  am  about 
to  tell  you. 

Ann  Jones  was  afraid  of  the  stars  !  She  did 
not  like  to  have  their  far-off  eyes  look  down 
upon  her  all  night.  So  when  the  sun  had  set 
and  day  began  to  draw  to  a  close,  she  loved 
to  have  the  blinds  closed  on  the  bright  stars. 
She  was  told  that  she  was  a  dunce  to  fear  the 
stars  that   God  made. 

One  night  Ann  went  to  bed,  and  the  blind 
was  left  open,  and  she  saw  a  bright  star  peeping 
down  upon  her,  as  she  lay  on  her  soft  bed. 
I  can  look  at  the  star  now,  said  she,  and  I  am 
not  afraid.  She  soon  fell  asleep  under  its  soft, 
mild  beam. 


LESSON  VII. 

Colors. 


Ink  is  black,   and  your  shoes  are  black. 
Snow  is  white,  and  my  frock  is  whita 


FIRST.]  WORDS   OF   TWO   SYLLABLES.  95 

Grass  is  green,  and  the  blades  of  corn  and 
the    fresh  leaves   of  the   trees  are   green. 

The  sky  is  blue. 

The  babe's  shoes  are  red,  and  the  sweet 
moss  rose  is    red. 

The   cowslip   is  yellow. 

The    table   is    brown. 

Black,  white,  green,  blue,  red,  yellow,  and 
brown. 


LESSON  VIII. 


George. 


Pray  give  me  a  nut.  Here  is  one.  I  want 
one   more.     Well,   here  is  one  more. 

I   want  more   yet.     I  want  ten. 

Then   count   ten. 

One,  two,  three,  four,  five,  six,  seven,  eight, 
nine,   ten. 

Now  what  will  you  do   with  these   nuts  ? 

Give  John  some,  and  Grace  some,  and  then 
I   will   eat  the   rest. 

That  is   a   good   boy. 

Here  is  a  pin.  Pick  it  up.  O,  do  not  put 
it  in  your  mouth ;  that  is  a  bad   trick.       Give 

to  me. 


96  SOUTHERN  READER.  [BOOK 

Fetch  me  my  work  box.  Do  not  sit  on  it ; 
you  will  break  it.     Sit  on  your  own  stool. 

Lay  by  your  work  now,  mamma,  and  play 
with  George.  It  is  wet.  I  can  not  go  out, 
so   do  play  with  me. 


LESSON  IX. 

A  Good  Little  Boy, 

I   will  write    a  little  story 

About  a  little    boy ; 
He  is  his    father's   comfort — 

He  is    his    mother's  joy. 

When   they  give    a   little    errand, 
He   thinks   of  what  is    said, 

Pulls  ,  down    his  little  jacket, 
And    holds  up   his  little  head. 

He   holds   his   knife    and    fork 
By   their   handles,    as  he    should, 

And  never    spills    his   coffee, 
Nor   drops    about  his  food. 

His  face   is   very  pleasant, 

What  he  says  is   always  true; 


FIRST. J  WORDS   OF  TWO  SYLLABLES. 

Now  tell  me,  my  young  reader, 
If  this  little   boy  is  you. 


97 


LESSON  X, 


Little  Lucius. 

Little  Lucius  is  putting  on  his  jacket  and 
trowsers.  What  a  smart  little  fellow  !  Is  his 
face  clean,  and  his  flaxen  hair  combed  1  Oh, 
yes.  If  his  face  and  hands  were  dirty,  he 
would  not  look  pretty.  See  how  he  marches 
about  the  room,  and  how  his  blue  eyes  shine. 
Do  his  eyes  ever  look  red  with  crying  1  \ 
hope  not.  When  will  Lucius  take  a  walk  in 
the  City  Square,  and  on  our  new  and  pleasant 
Battery,    and  visit    the   Island,    and    Fort,    and 


98  BOUT  HE  UN   READER.  [BOOK 

Castle     Pinckney,     and    see    all    the    ships    and 
steam   boats  ? 

Do  not  fall  in  the  dirt,  little  fellow.  If  you 
do  fall,  do  not  cry.  Jump  up  and  say  hurrah, 
boys!  That  is  a  brave  child.  Where  is  the 
apron  to  keep  your  jacket  clean  1  Lucius  must 
not  eat  his  dinner  without  an  apron,  or  he  will 
spoil  his  new  clothes.  Who  gave  him  his  nice 
clothes  I  His  papa.  Who  gave  his  papa  every 
thing  to  make  his  little  boy  happy  1  God. 
Must  Lucius  thank  God  1  Yes,  every  night 
and  every  morning ;  for  God  is  his  best  friend. 


LESSON  XL 

Fingers  and  Toes. 

How  many  fingers  have  you  got  ?  Here  are 
four  fingers   on  this   hand. 

And   what  is   this  'I 

A  thumb. 

Four  fingers  and  a  thumb  ;  that  makes  five. 
And   how  many  on   this   hand? 

Here   are  five,   too. 

Well,  five  and  five  are  ten.      What  is  this  1 

This  is  the  right   hand. 


FIRST.]  WORDS   OF  TWO  SYLLABLES  99 

And    what  is   this  I 

This    is    the    left   hand. 

How  many  toes  have  you  got  \  Let  us 
count  them.  Five  on  this  foot,  and  five  on 
this   foot.     Five  and   five   make   ten. 

How   many   legs  have  you  1 

Here  is  one,  and  here  is  one.  I  have  two 
legs.     How    many    legs   has   a   horse  1 

A  horse  has  four  legs  ;  a  dog  has  four  legs, 
and  a  cow,  and  a  hog,  and  a  sheep  have  each 
four   legs ;    puss  has   four   legs,   too. 

And   how    many  legs   have   the   fowls  1 

The  fowls  have  but  two  legs.  The  birds 
have  but  two  legs.  But  I  will  tell  you  what 
they  have  got.  They  have  got  wings  to  fly 
with,  and   they   fly   high   up  in   the   air. 

I   have   no   wings. 

No,  you  are  not  a  bird ;  but  you  have 
hands.  Cows  have  no  hands,  and  birds  have 
no   hands. 

Have  birds  teeth  ? 

No,   birds   have   no   teeth. 

How   do    they  eat  their  food,    then  1 

Birds  have  got  a  bill.  Look  at  the  fowls; 
they  pick  up  the  corn  with  their  bills.  How 
fest  they  pick  it  up. 


100  SOUTHERN  READER.         I  BOOK 

lesson  xii. 
The  Smith, 

Come,  let  us  go  to  the  smith's  shop  arid 
see  him  work.  He  has  a  forge,  and  coal,  and 
a  large  pair  of  bellows,  and  a  pair  of  tongs, 
and  a  large  sledge  hammer,  and  an  anvil. 
He  blows  the  fire  in  his  forge  to  make  it 
burn,  and  then  puts  in  the  iron  to  make  it 
hot.  When  it  is  red  hot  it  will  bend,  and 
can  be  made  to  any  shape ;  so  he  takes  it 
out  with  his  tongs,  and  holds  it  on  the  anvil, 
and  then  with  his  hammer  he  beats  it  to  the 
shape  he  wants  it.  He  makes  nails,  and  shoes 
for  the  horse,  and  chains,  and  a  great  many 
things.  How  hard  he  works,  and  how  the 
bright   sparks   fly. 

Iron  is  got  out  of  the  earth,  at  a  great  depth. 
The  place  where  men  dig  it  out,  we  call  a  mine. 
There  are  iron  mines  near  James  River,  in 
Virginia. 

Steel  is  made  of  iron.  Steel  is  very  bright 
and  hard ;  sharp  knives  and  forks,  and  tools 
that  we  cut  with,  are  made  of  stee) 

Iron   will  melt  in  a  very  hoi  lira      When  it 


FIRST.]  WORDS   OF   TWO  SYLLABLES.  101 

is  melted  it  is  run  in  molds,  and  made  into 
pots,  and  grates,  and  stoves,  and  a  great  many 
things  that   are  of  much  use  to  us. 


LESSON  XIII. 

i 

A    Visit  to  the  Island. 

I  will  tell  you  a  story  of  two  good  little 
boys,  called  William  and  Sidney.  One  day 
their  father  and  mother  took  them  to  the 
Island ,  they  had  a  pleasant  sail  in  a  pretty 
boat  called  the  Clara  Fisher :  the  wind  blew 
the  water  up  very  high,  but  it  did  not  come 
over  the  sides  of  the  boat.  They  saw  a  great 
many  vessels ;  some  were  sailing  about  and 
some  were  quite  still.  Sidney  asked  his  father, 
What  is  the  name  of  this  vessel I  and,  Father 
what  is  the  name  of  that  vessel  1  for  he  was  a 
very  little  boy,  and  could  not  read  the  names, 
which  were  painted  on  the  stern  of  the  vessels ; 
but  William  could  read  the   names   himself. 

When  they  reached  the  Island,  they  ran 
about  on  the  beach,  and  picked  up  a  great 
many  pretty  shells;  then  they  went  into  the 
boat,  and   sailed   back  again   very   fast.     When 


102  SOUTHERN   READER.  [BOOK 

they  got  to  the  wharf  in  town,  William  said, 
Father,  I  do  not  see  the  Island  ;  it  has  sailed 
away ;  and  Sidney  asked,  Will  it  ever  come 
back  again  1  Their  father  said,  It  is  too  dark 
for  you  to  see  it  now,  but  if  you  are  good  boys, 
r  will  bring  you  soon  to  sail  again  in  this 
pretty  boat ;  and  then  we  shall  find  the  Island 
in  the  same  place,  for  it  can  not  move  awajr 


LESSON  XIV. 

Robert's  Ride. 

Mamma,  may  I  go  into  the  yard  and  play 
horse  1  Papa  has  lent  me  his  cane,  and  here 
is  a   nice  willow   switch. 

No,  Robert ;  you  have  a  sore  throat,  and 
you   must  stay   in   the   house. 

But  mamma,  my  top  is  broken,  and  my 
wheel    barrow   is  dirty,  and  my  books   are   old. 

Poor  Robert  !  What  can  you  do  1  Do  not 
fret^  and  you  will   soon  think    of  some  thing. 

Oh,  yes,  mamma ;  now  I  have  thought  of 
some  thing  funny  !  My  horse,  (papa's  cane,  you 
know,)  shall  be  very  quiet,  like  your  carriage 
horses,  and   I   will   play  that  you   are  my  stable. 


FIRST.]  WORDS   OF   TWO   SYLLABLES.  103 

and  sister  Mary  shall  be  the  country.  Come 
up  sir ;  wo  a,  sir,  woa.  Mamma  you  must  not 
talk,  because  you  are  the  stable,  you  know. 
Sister  Mary  will  make  a  nice  country  because 
she  is  so  quiet.  Softly,  Dick ;  come  on,  sir. 
Now  we  are  riding  up  the  avenue.  How  d'ye 
do,  Maum  Molly  !  How  d'ye  do,  Daddy  Cyrus? 
Thank  you  for  the  groundnuts  and  sweet  po- 
tatoes. Happy  new  year  to  you.  Here  is 
fourpence  to   buy   to-bac-co.     Good  bye. 


The  Little    Girl  to  a  Bird. 

Little  bird,    roam 
Quick  to  my   home. 
I'll   give  you    to   eat 
Ev'ry  thing  sweet; 


104  SQUYHBAN  READER.  [BOOK 

Sugar  and  cake 

I'll  save  for  your  sake ; 

Melon  and  plum, 

You   shall   have   some; 

A  peach  and  a  pear, 

And  every  thing  rare ; 

Some  hay  for  your  nest, 

And   what  you  like  best, 

A   nice  little  house, 

As   snug   as    a   mouse. 

I   will   give   you    a   brush 

To  smooth  down  each  feather^ 

And  brother  shall  hush, 

While    we   sing  together. 

So  come  from  the  tree, 

And   live  here   with  me. 


LESSON  XVI. 

The   Bird's  Ansiver. 

I    thank  you,  my  dear, 
I  had  rather   live   here  ; 
The  skies  they   are  fair, 
And   I  love    the   fresh  air; 
The  trees  they   are  green, 
And  I   sit  like   a  queen, 


FIRST.]  WOKUS   OF   TWO  SYLLABLES,  105 

On   a  bianch  as   it  goes, 

While  the  pleasant  wind  blows, 

I   have   more   on  my  table 

To  eat   than  I'm  able, 

For  the   very   large   field 

My  dessert  does  yield  ; 

But  come   from  your  book, 

With   a  good  humor'd  look, 

When  with  care  you  have   read, 

And  your  lesson   is  said; 

Sit  under  the   tree 

With  your  sewing  by  me, 

And   this   afternoon 

I  will  sing  you  a  tune. 


LESSON  XVII. 

Mary  and  Papa. 

Papa,  will  you  take  Mary  in  your  lap  1 
Yes,  my  darling.  But  let  me  look  at  your 
hands  ;  are  they  clean?  and  those  little  lips, 
too !  Oh,  you  must  ask  Doiiy  to  wash  your 
face.  Now  I  can  kiss  you.  Sit  still,  and  tell 
me   whom   you  love. 

Why,   papa,   I    love    you,   and  mamma,    and 
pussy. 

10 


106 


S  O  U  T  J I E  R  N  11 E  A  D  K  R . 


[rook 


Mary,  what  if  mamma,  and  pussy,  and  I, 
should  fall  into  a  tub  of  water  !  which  would 
you   take   out  first  ? 

Why,  papa,  I  would  take  out  pussy,  anf1 
you  and  mamma  should  take  out  yourselves. 

What  are  eyes  made  for?     To  see  with. 

What  are  ears  made  for?     To  hear  with. 

Can   men  make  eyes? 

They  can  only  make  glass  eyes,  and  those  son 
of  eyes  do  not  look  as  if  they  said   I  love  you. 

I  will  love  God  for  giving  me  eyes,  that  I 
can  see  my  dear  papa  with. 


LESSON  XVIII. 


Bloicing  Soap  Bubbles. 

This  is  a  very  pretty  play  for  young  children; 
but  they  should  be  careful  not  to  wet  theit 
clothes,  nor  swallow   any  of  the  soap  suds. 


FIRST.]  WORDS   OF  TWO  SYLLABLES.  107 

These  two  little  boys  were  one  day  playing, 
as  you  see  them  in  the  picture.  The  sun 
shone  bright,  and  made  each  bubble  show  all 
the   colors   of  the  rainbow. 

James  blew  up  a  great  one,  which  rose  very 
high  in  the  air,  and  as  the  sun  shone  on  it, 
looked  very  gay.  Look !  look !  said  he  to 
Charles;  who  ever  saw  a  finer  sight?  there  is 
red,  orange,  yellow,  green,  and  purple.  This  is 
the  best  one  I  ever  made. 

These  little  fellows  were  so  eager  in  the 
sport,  that  they  quite  forgot  to  learn  their  les- 
sons, till  a  late  hour.  But  they  were  good 
boys,  and  each  took  his  book  and  began  to 
study,  when  their  sister  Jane  came  and  told 
them  how    late  it  was. 


LESSON  XIX. 

The  Roguish  Boy. 

Johnny  was  five  years  old.  He  was  a 
roguish  little  boy.  He  loved  to  pull  the  work 
out  of  his  mamma's  hand.  Once  he  threw  her 
thread  in  the  fire.  When  his  mamma  scolded 
him,   he   laughed  in   her  face.     One  day  John- 


108  SOUTHERN   READER.  [BOOK 

ay's  mamma  went  to  pour  out  coffee,  and  the 
milk  looked  of  a  dirty  color.  She  stirred  it 
with  a  spoon,  and  found  six  groundnuts  which 
Johnny  had  put  in  it.  Johnny's  mamma  was 
not  well,  and  it  grieved  her  that  her  little  boy 
should  behave  so.  Then  his  father  walked  up 
to  Johnny,  looked  very  sternly  at  him,  and  he 
said,  Master  John,  this  will  not  do;  and  he 
took  a  piece  of  ribbon,  and  tied  Johnny's  hands, 
and  made  him  sit  on  the  cellaret  five  minutes. 
His  brothers  and  sisters  did  not  know  whether 
to  laugh  or  to  cry,  Johnny  looked  so  funny 
and   so    ashamed. 


LESSON  XX. 

The  Clown  and  the  Sun  Dial. — A   Fable. 

A  clown  who  did  not  much  like  work,  once 
went  to  a  dial,  to  see  if  the  hour  had  come 
when  he  might  leave  his  work  and  go  to  play. 
When  he  found  it  was  not  yet  quite  time,  he 
felt  sad  and  did  not  much  like  it ;  and  he 
spoke   out  his   thoughts. 

Cease  your  foolish  complaints,  said  the  dial, 
and  think  how   this  same   hour  which   I   point 


FIRST*]  WORDS  OF  TWO  SYLLABLES-  109 

out,  and  which  you  look  at  with  so  much 
scorn,  is  to  a  vast  number  of  jour  kind,  the 
last   hour  of  their   lives. 

Moral. — This  is  plain  ;  but  we  may  add  that 
some  spend  their  time  as  if  it  was  of  no  use 
or  would  not  end,  and  do  not  think  that  each 
day,  or  hour,  may  be  the  last  one  of  their 
lives. 

The  deaths  that  each  day  take  place  near 
us,  should  show  us  that  we  ought  to  have  all 
our  thoughts,  both  or  this  world  and  the  next, 
in  such  a  state,  that  we  may  quit  life  when 
God  wills  it,  with  joy  and  hope,  and  not  with 
fear.  He  who  lives  well,  will  not  fail  to  die 
well. 


LESSON  xxi. 
The  Hen,    Chickens,  and   Young  Duck. 

My  aunt  once  had  a  fine  old  hen.  She 
had  six  eggs  put  in  her  nest.  When  the  hen 
had  set  on  the  eggs  three  weeks,  there  came 
out  of  them  five  young  chickens  and  one  duck. 
The  hen  said  cluck,  cluck,  ani  iben  her  jcung 

10* 


110  SOUTHERN  READER.  [BOOK 

ones  ran  to  her,  and  she  had  a  nice  crumb 
for  them  to  eat.  By  and  by,  the  little  duck 
began  to  wish  for  something  to  drink,  for  he 
was  dry.  But  the  chickens  did  not  much 
care  for  water ;  a  very  few  drops  would  do 
for  them.  So  the  little  duck  went  waddling 
about  the  yard,  with  his  flat  feet,  to  look  for 
water.  But  he  could  find  none,  and  he  said 
quack,  quack,  quack.  At  length  he  found  a 
small  pond,  and  he  went  to  the  edge  of  it. 
First  he  put  one  foot  iu,  and  then  both,  and 
off  he  sailed  like  a  small  boat.  Then  the 
old  hen  began  to  scream,  for  she  thought  her 
young  one  would  be  lost.  God  did  not  make 
hens  to  swim  ;  they  fear  the  water.  This 
hen  stuck  out  her  wings,  and  ran  on  each  side 
of  the  pond,  and  she  cried,  cluck,  cluck;  but 
the  duck  would  not  come  back,  for  he  felt 
that  God  had  made  him  with  large  flat  feet 
to  swim  with.  So  he  swam  round  and  round, 
and  then  he  would  dip  his  head  in  the  water, 
and  throw  it  on  his  back  and  wings.  When 
he  had  been  there  as  long  as  he  wished,  he 
came  out  to  the  hen  and  chickens,  and  glad 
were  they  to  see  him  back  safe  and  sound. 


FIRST.]  WORDS  OF  TWO  SYLLABLES.  Ill 

LESSON  XXII. 

Oh,  look  at  the  Moon! 

Oh,  look  at  the  moon  ! 

She  is  shining  up  there ; 
Oh,  mother,  she  looks 

Like  a  lamp  in  the  air. 

Last  week  she  was  smaller, 

And  shaped  like  a  bow, 
But  now  she's  grown  bigger, 

And  round  as  an  O. 

Pretty  moon,  pretty  moon, 
How  you  shine  on  the  door, 

And  make  it  all  bright 
On  my  nursery  floor. 

You  shine  on  my  play-things, 
And  show  me  their  place, 

And  I  love  to  look  up 

At  your  pretty  bright  face. 

And  there  is  a  star 

Close  by  you,  and  may  be 

That  small  twinkling  star 
Is  your  little  baby. 


IL2 


SOUTHERN   READER, 

LESSON  XXIII. 


BOOK 


The    Vain   Jackdaw. — A   Fable. 

A  certain  jackdaw  was  so  vain  and  full  of 
pride,  that,  not  content  with  his  own  state, 
he  picked  up  the  feathers  which  fell  from  the 
peacocks,  stuck  them  among  his  own,  and 
began  to  strut  about  by  the  side  of  those 
gaudy  birds.  They  soon  found  him  out,  strip- 
ped him  of  his  false  plumes,  and  falling  upon 
him  with  their  sharp  bills,  pecked  him  with- 
out mercy,  for  his  conceit  and  daring.  Full 
of  sorrow  and  pain,  he  now  gladly  tried  to 
rejoin  his  old  friends ;  but  they,  knowing  his 
recent  conduct,  would  not  again  admit  him 
among    their    flock.      Ah,     my    friend,    said    an 


FIRST.]  WORDS   OF   TWO   SYLLABLES.  113 

old  jackdaw,  you  now  find,  when  it  is  too  late, 
that  if  you  had  been  content  with  the  plu- 
mage which  you  were  born  to,  and  had  not 
been  so  foolish  as  to  disdain  the  state  of  life 
in  which  nature  placed  you,  you  would  not 
have  been  so  sadly  treated  by  those  above 
you,  with  whom  you  have  tried  to  consort, 
nor  so  harshly  by  us,  who  are  your  equals, 
and   of  your   own   kind. 

Moral. — We  may  learn  from  this  fable,  to 
be  content  with  the  rank  which  we  are  born 
to  fill ;  or,  at  least,  not  to  attempt,  by  false 
show,  or  the  dress  and  manners  of  others,  to 
pass  for   greater  than    we   are. 


LESSON  XXIV. 

The    Comma. 

What  is  this  little  dot,  with  a  tail  to  it, 
(,)  and  what  is  it  for  ?  I  see  it  in  all  my 
books. 

It  is  put  there  to  make  you  read  slow7, 
John.  It  is  a  comma.  When  you  see  a 
comma,  you  must  make  a  pause  as  long  as  it 
will  take   you  to  count  one.     You  can  not  read 


1 [4  SOUTHERN  READER.  [bOOa 

well,  if  you  do  not  mind  these  points.  Those 
who  read  well,  always  stop  at  a  comma  as 
long   as   it   takes  to   count  one. 

How  many  commas  are  there  in  this  les- 
son ?  Count  them.  Now  bring  your  slate  and 
make  commas  on  it,  till  you  learn  their  shape 
so  well  that  you  may  know  one  when  you  see  it 


lesson  xxv. 
The  Full  Point. 

Now,  if  you  please,  I  wish  you  would  tell 
me  what  that  other  little  dot  is.  I  mean  the 
one   (.)   without   a    tail. 

This  is  what  we  call  a  period,  or  full  point 
If  you  do  not  stop  and  breathe  when  you  see 
one  of  these,  you  will  not  make  sense  of  what 
you   read. 

When  you  see  one,  you  must  stop  as  long 
as  it  will  take  you  to  count  six.  All  who 
wTish  to  read  well,  always  make  a  full  stop 
when  they  see  one  of  these  little  round  dots 
Now  tell  me,   what  does  a  period  look  like  ! 

Why,  it  looks  like  a  black  pin's  head  bro- 
ken  off 


FIRST.]  WORDS   OF   TWO   SYLLABLES,  115 

Well,  now  each  of  you  take  your  slates  and 
pencils,  and  see  which  can  make  the  neatest 
periods. 


LESSON  XXVI 

The  Semi-colon  and  Colon. 

Come   here,   George,   and   read   these   names. 

Semi-colon  ;   Colon. 

What  does   a  semi-colon   (;)   look  like? 

A  semi-colon  looks  like  a  period  and  a 
i  omnia. 

Yes,  it  does.  You  must  pause  at  a  semi- 
colon twice  as  long  as  you  would  at  a  com- 
ma ;  that  is,  as  long  as  it  will  take  you  to 
count  two.     What  does  a  colon  (:)   look  like  1 

It   looks   like   two   periods. 

Very  well.  Mind  that  you  do  not  pass  by 
a  colon  when  you  read,  without  stopping  long 
enough  to  count  four,  or  twice  as  long  as  at 
a  semi-colon.  Semi  means  half;  so  the  pause 
at  a  semi-colon  is  half  as  long  as  at  a  colon. 
You  will  not  often  find  the  colon  in  your 
way,  for  they  are  not  used  a  great  deal ;  but 
the  semi-colon  you  will   often  meet  with. 


116  BODTfHSftN   REAI.EK.  [llOOK 

But  do  not  forget  that  von  must  panse  at 
.a  comma  long  enough  to  count  one ;  at  a 
semi-colon  long  enough  to  count  two ;  at  a 
colon  long  enough  to  count  four ;  and  at  a 
period  long  enough  to  count  six.  This  is  the 
rule,  and  you  cannot  read  well  unless  you 
make  these  pauses. 


LESSON  XXVII. 

The  Boys  and  the  Frogs. — A  Fable. 

Once  on  a  time,  as  some  hoys  were  at  play, 
they  saw  some  young  frogs  in  a  pond ;  and 
one  of  the  boys  said,  let  us  throw  stones  at 
the  young  frogs :  and  they  all  did  stone  the 
poor  frogs.  And  thus  said  one  of  the  frogs  to 
the  boys :  Boys !  why  do  you  pelt  us  with 
stones  I  We  do  no  harm  to  you,  and  you 
should  do  as  you  would  be  done  by.  Should 
you  like  to  have  stones  thrown  at  you  1  It 
men,  or  boys  who  are  bigger  tbau  you,  should 
pelt  you  with  stones,  you  would  not  like  it : 
then  you  should  think  how  you  hurt  us  ! 

Moral. — This  is  a  fable  to  teach  you  that 
you  should  be  kind  to  all  things,  and  do  to 
others  as  you  expect  them  to  do  to  you. 


FIRST.]  WORDS  OF  TWO  SYLLABLES.  117 

LESSON  XXVIII. 

The  Five  Senses. 

All  human  beings  must,    with  birds  and  beasts, 
To  be  complete,  five  senses  have,  at  least; 
The  sense  of  hearing,  to  the  ear  confined : 
The  eye  for  seeing  was  and  is  designed  : 
The  nose  to  smell  an  odor  sweet  or  ill ; 
The  tongue  to  taste  what  will  the  stomach  fill 
The  sense  of  feeling  is  in  every#  part, 
While  life  gives  motion  to  a  beating  heart. 


The  Lion. 
The  Lion    is  called  the  king  of  beasts,    be- 
cause   he    is  so    strong,   and  active,  and  fierce, 
that  all  other  beasts  fear  him.     He  is  from  three 

11 


118  SOUTHERN  READER.  [BOOK 

to  four  feet  high,  and  has  a  large  head,  much 
like  that  of  a  great  dog,  and  thick,  long  hair 
around  his  neck,  which  is  called  his  mane. 
His  claws  are  strong  and  sharp,  and  with  thern 
he  can  tear  men  and  beasts  in  pieces. 

His  color  is  a  kind  of  light  brown  ;  but  near 
the  breast  it  is  white.  He  often  roars  so  loud 
that  his  voice  sounds  like  thunder,  and  all  the 
beasts  of  the* forest  run  and  hide  when  they 
hear  him. 

Lions  live  in  Asia  and  Africa,  very  far  from 
where  we  live.  The  weather  in  those  parts  is 
very  hot,  and  the  sun  with  its  great  heat  burns 
the  skin,  as  it  does  here  on  a  very  hot  day. 

The  lion  is  a  noble  beast,  and  has  often  been 
known  to  spare  the  lives  of  small  animals,  that 
have  been  thrown  into  his  cage  for  him  to  eat. 
One  which  was  kept  for  a  show  in  the  city 
of  London,  became  so  fond  of  a  little  black  dog 
which  was  thrown  into  his  cage,  that  when 
the  dog  died,  about  a  year  after  he  was  put 
in  the  cage,  the  Lion  would  not  eat,  but  mourn- 
ed for  his  little  friend,  and  pined  away  day 
after  day,  until  he  died  of  grief  and   hunger. 


FIRST.]  WORDS   OF   TWO  SYLLABLES.  119 

Lt^SOS    XXX. 

Tlie   Little    Boys    Complaint  about  Butter 

Oh,  Mother,  won't  you  speak  to  Kate  1 

I  have  not  had  enough  to  eat ; 
And  when  she  spreads  a  little  bread, 

She  thinks  she  gives  me  such  a  treat. 

I  only  wish  I  was  a  man, 

To  have  my  butter  an  inch  thick, 

And  not  be  talking  all  the  time, 

How  this  and  that  will  make  me  sick. 

Poor  little  boys  are  sadiy  used, 

They  can  not  have  the  thing  they  wish ; 
While  grown  up  people  help  themselves 

To  what  they  like  from  ev'ry  dish. 

As  soon  as  I  become  a  man, 

I'll  have  a  pie  as  tall  as  you, 
With  doors  and  windows  like  a  house, 

And  lined  with  plums  all  through  and  through. 

And  I'll  go  in  when  e'er  I  choose, 
And  sit  as  snug  as  Jackey  Horner, 

And  even  Katy,  though  she's  cross, 
Sb&il  some  times  come  and  eat  a  corner. 


120  SOUTHERN  READER.  [BOOK 

My  windows  ail  with  jelly  made, 

Like  Boston  glass  shall  glisten  bright. 

And  sugar  candy  for  the  frames, 
At  every  turn  shall  greet  my  sight. 

My  floor  shall  be  of  ginger  bread, 
Because  that's  pretty  hard  you  know, 

Sanded  all  o'er  with  sugar  plums, 
Rolling  about  where  e'er  I  go. 

And  Mother,   Kate,  my  cellaret 

Shall  be  all  butter  shap'd  with  ice, 

And  then  w^eTi  see  it"  I  must  fret 
Because  I  want  a  little  slice. 

And  Mother — Oh,  she's  gone  away  ! 

And  Katy — What,  you've  left  me  too  ! 
I  won't  stand  talking  to  the  walls, 

But  go  and  find  some  work  to  do. 


LESSON  XXXI. 

Pluffers. 

Piuffers  are  made  in  the  same  way  as  pop- 
guns at  the  North,  and  form  a  noisy  little  toy 
lor  boys  at   the  South,    from  the  latter  part  of 


FIRST.]  WORDS  OF  TWO   SYLLABLES.  121 

May  until  the  middle  of  June.  In  Savannah 
and  Charleston,  the  streets  are  shaded  by  the 
Pride  of  India,  or  Poison  Berry  Tree.  This 
tree  blooms  in  April.  The  blossom,  in  color, 
form,  and  perfume,  is  some  what  like  the  lilac. 
Little  girls  amuse  themselves  by  stringing  the 
flowers  on  a  thread  for  a  necklace.  The  seed 
of  the  flower  is  a  round,  green  berry.  They 
grow  as  large  as  marbles. 

Boys  gather  these  berries  for  their  pluffers, 
and  in  every  street  in  Charleston  and  Savan- 
nah, at  this  season,  you  may  hear  the  negro 
boys  popping  off  their  pluffers,  while  in  the 
school  recess,  the  mimic  gun  is  very  active  in 
the  play  ground. 

In  the  autumn,  the  berry  falls,  and  is  eaten 
by  cattle.  The  root  of  the  tree  is  a  cure  for 
worms. 

Northern  boys  employ  flax  or  cotton  for 
their  pop-guns,  wetting  it  and  forming  it  into 
balls.  Our  poison  berries,  as  they  are  called, 
are  neater,   and  louder  in  their  report. 

Pop-guns,  as  well  as  pluffers,  are  used  in 
the  spring  of  the  year. 


11 


122 


UTliERN   READER. 
LESSOR  XXXII. 


[book 


'""Vf/mininMm*' 


The    Tiger. 

The  Tiger  is  a  handsome  beast,  but  the  most 
cruel  and  blood  thirsty  of  them  all.  He  is  from 
three  to  four  feet  high,  and  from  seven  to  nine 
feet  long.  His  shape  is  like  that  of  a  cat ;  but 
his  legs  are  very  large  and  strong.  His  mouth 
is  wide,  and  his  teeth  and  claws  are  long  and 
sharp.  His  strength  is  so  great,  that  when  he 
kills  an  ox,  he  can  throw  it  across  his  back, 
and  holding  it  with  his  teeth,  run  off,  just  as  a 
fox  runs  away   with   a  goose. 

His  color  is  a  deep  yellow,  with  rich  dark 
stripes    all    around    his    body,    which   give    his 


FIRST.]  WORDS   OF  TWO  SYLLABLES.  123 

skin  such  great  beauty  that  it  sells  at  a  very 
high  price  ;  no  other  part  of  him  is  of  any  use. 

The  tiger  is  so  bold  and  fierce,  that  he  does 
not  fear  any  beast,  not  even  the  lion  ;  and  he 
so  much  delights  in  blood,  that  he  will  kill  all 
that  come  in  his  way,  even  when  he  is  not  in 
want  of  food. 

The  tiger  is  a  native  of  Asia,  in  the  eastern 
part  of  the  world. 

He  has  never  been  so  far  tamed  as  to  make 
it  safe  for  a  stranger  to  go  near  him.  Neither 
the  kindest  nor  the  most  severe  treatment  can 
tame  him.  He  will  bite  the  hand  that  feeds 
him  when  he  is  near  starving,  just  as  soon  as 
he  will  one  that  strikes  him. 


LESSON  XXXIII. 

Sixty  Seconds  make  a  Minute. 

Sixty  seconds  make  a  minute, 
Sixty  minutes  make  an  hour — 

I  wish  I  were  a  little  linnet, 
Hopping  in  her  leafy  bower, 

And  then  I  should  not  have  to  sing  it, 
Sixty  minutes  make  an  hour. 


124  SOUTHERN  READER.  [BOOK 

Twenty-four  hours  make  a  day, 
Seven  days  are  in  a  week — 

I  had  rather  with  my  marbles  play, 
Or  run  at  cunning  '  hide  and  seek/ 

Or  in  the  garden  gather  flowers, 

Than  tell  the  days  that  make  a  week. 

In  a  month  the  weeks  are  four, 

And  twelve  months  will  make  a  year, 

I  must  say  it  o'er  and  o'er, 
Or  it  never  will  be  clear ; 

So  my  heart  shall  still  be  in  it — 

Sixty  seconds  make  a  minute. 


LESSON  xxxiv. 
Salt. 

The  salt  which  we  eat  with  our  meat,  and 
which  we  could  not  well  do  without,  is  found 
in  all  parts  of  the  world.  You  would  not 
much  like  the  taste  of  meat,  if  you  had  no  salt 
to  eat  with  it.  The  water  of  the  sea  has  salt 
in  it.  Men  take  a  great  deal  of  water,  and 
place  it  so  that  the  sun  dries  up  the  water 
and  leaves  the  salt. 


FIRST.]  WORDS  OF  TWO  SYLLABLES.  125 

A  child  could  make  salt  in  this  way.  Take 
some  salt  water  and  put  it  in  a  pan,  and 
then  place  it  where  the  sun  can  shine  on 
it.  The  sun  will  dry  up  the  water  in  time, 
and  then  small  bits  of  salt  will  be  found  in 
the  pan. 

Salt  is  of  great  use  to  keep  meat  from  spoil- 
ing. But  some  men  live  far  from  the  sea, 
where  they  cannot  make  salt  in  this  way. 
In  such  parts  of  the  world  there  are  mines 
of  salt ;  that  is,  large  holes  are  dug  in  the 
earth,  and  salt  is  found  in  great  heaps,  fit  for 
use.  Some  of  these  mines  have  been  worked 
a  great  many  years,  and  there  still  seems  to 
be  almost  as   much   as  when  they  first  found  it 

God  knew  that  salt  would  keep  many  things 
which  we  should  wish  to  preserve,  and  that 
it  would  serve  to  make  our  food  taste  good ; 
so  He  has  put  it  in  all  parts  of  the  world, 
that   all  men  may  have  it. 


126 


SOUTHERN   READER. 
LESSON  XXXV. 


[book 


The  Stag,  his  Horns  and  Legs. — A  Fable. 

A  stag,  while  drinking  at  a  clear  spring, 
saw  the  image  of  himself  in  the  water;  and, 
pleased  with  the  sight,  he  stood  still  for  some 
time,  to  admire  his  fine  shape  and  handsome 
features. 

Ah,  said  he,  these  are  indeed  a  noble  pair 
of  horns  !  How  graceful  they  look,  and  what 
a  charm  they  give  to  my  whole  face !  If  the 
rest  of  my  body  were  but  equal  to  them  in 
grace  and  beauty,  I  would  not  yield  the  palm 
to  any  one ;  but  I  see  with  regret  and  pain 
that  my  legs  are  such  sorry  shanks,  I  shall 
feel  great  shame  in  showing  them.     Folks  may 


first]         words  of  two  syllables.  127 

talk  as  they  please  of  their  speed,  and  of  how 
much  service  they  may  be  to  me  ;  but,  for  my 
part,  I  would  sooner  have  none  at  all,  than 
such    slender  ugly   things. 

While  the  foolish  stag  was  giving  himself 
these  airs,  he  was  startled  by  the  cry  of 
hounds,  who  came  on  the  scent,  in  fall  chase 
towards  him.  Away  he  flew,  in  great  fear ; 
and  bounding  nimbly  over  the  plain  with  his 
long  and  swift  legs,  he  soon  left  men  and 
dogs  at  a  great  distance  behind  him ;  but,  in 
the  attempt  to  dash  through  a  thicket,  his 
horns  were  caught  fast  in  a  tree,  where  he 
was  held  till  the  hounds  came  up  and  killed 
him.  His  fate  being  thus  sealed,  he  cried 
out,  while  in  the  pangs  of  death  : 

"  Wretched  creature  that  I  am  !  I  now  find, 
when  it  is  too  late,  that  what  I  so  prided  my- 
self on,  has  been  the  cause  of  my  ruin  :  and 
.hat  what  I  held  in  so  much  contempt,  was 
the  only  thing  that  could  have  saved  me.'' 

Moral. — Thus  it  may  be  with  too  many,  who 
set  a  high  value  upon  beauty,  and  despise  or 
neglect  what  is  useful. 


128  SOUTHERN  READER.  [BOOK 

LESSON  XXXVI. 

Mother  who  made  the  Flower? 

A  little   child  who   loves   to   see 

The   bright  sun    shining  clear, 
Is    often   asking,  "  Where  is  He 

Who  placed   the  bright   sun  here  1" 

She   sees  the  moonlight's  silver  gleam, 

And  stars  with  twinkling  ray, 
And  says,  "  Who  made  that  gentle  beam, 

Almost  more  fair  than  day  V 

She  gathers  for  her  mother  dear, 

A  blossom  rich  and  fair, 
And  asks,  "  Who  placed  those  colors  here, 

And   mix'd  them  with  such  care  1 

'Tis  God,  my  child,  who  will  impart 

More  glorious  objects  still, — 
A  temper  mild,  a  feeling  heart, 

And  strength  to  do  His  will. 


FIRST.]  WORDS  OF  TWO  SYLLABLES. 


129 


LESSON  XXXVII. 


Duties  of  Children. 

Love  your  father  and  mother.  They  love 
you  very  dearly,  and  they  have  taken  care  ot 
you  ever  since  you  were  born.  They  loved 
you  even  when  you  were  poor,  little,  helpless 
babes,  that  could  not  talk  nor  walk  about,  nor 
do  scarcely  any  thing  but  cry  and  give  a  great 
deal   of  trouble. 

Who  is  so  kind  to  you  as  your  parents  are  1 
Who  takes  so  much  pains  to  instruct  you  1 
Who  taught  you  almost  every  thing  you  know  1 

12 


130  SOUTHERN   READER.  [BOOR 

Who  provides  food  for  you,  and  clothes,  and 
soft  beds  to  sleep  on  at  night  I  Who  is  so 
glad  when  you  are  pleased,  and  so  sorry  when 
you  are  troubled  1  When  you  are  sick  and  in 
pain,  who  is  it  that  pities  you  and  cares  for 
you,  and  nurses  you  ?  Who  prays  to  God  to 
give  you  health,  and  strength,  and  all  good 
things  ? 

Obey  your  parents.  They  know  better  what 
is  proper  for  you  than  you  do  ;  and  they  wish 
you  to  be  good,  and  wise,   and   happy. 

If  your  parents  are  sick,  or  in  trouble,  do 
all  you  can  to  comfort  them.  If  they  are  poor, 
work  very  hard,  that  you  may  be  able  to  assist 
them. 

Love  your  brothers  and  sisters.  Do  not  tease 
nor  vex  them,  nor  call  them  names ;  and  never 
let  your  little  hands  be  raised  to  strike  them. 
If  they  have  any  thing  which  you  would  like 
to  have,  do  not  be  angry  with  them,  nor  wish 
to  get  it  from  them.  If  you  have  any  thing 
they  like,  share  it  with  them. 

Your  parents  grieve  when  they  see  you 
quarrel ;  they  love  you  all  with  dear  love  ;  and 
they  wish  you  to  love  each  other,  and  to  live 
in   peace. 


FIRST.]  WORDS   OF  TWO  SYLLABLES. 


131 


People  will  not  speak  or  think  well  of  you, 
if  you  do  not  behave  kindly  to  your  parents, 
and  to  your  brothers  and  sisters.  Whom,  say 
they,  will  these  persons  love,  or  be  kind  to, 
if  they  do  not  love  their  own  father  and 
mother,  who  have  done  so  much  for  them ; 
and  their  own  brothers  and  sisters,  who  have 
the  same  parents,  and  the  same  home  as  they 
have,  and  who   are  brought  up  with  them  1 


LESSON  XXXVIII. 


The    Whale. 

Here  is  a  picture  of  a  whale.  The  whale 
is  a  large  fish;  larger  than  any  other  animal 
in  the   known   world.     He   is   said   to  be   from 


132  SOUTHERN  READER.  [BOOK 

sixty  to  eighty  feet  long,  and  twenty  feet 
broad. 

The  head  of  the  whale  is  about  one  third 
the  length  of  his  body,  and  his  mouth  is 
quite  large,  though  his  throat  is  small.  Wi'h 
his  tail,  when  he  is  in  pain  or  rage,  he  lashes 
the  sea  into  a  white  foam  for  some  distance 
around  him. 

The  oil  which  we  burn  in  our  lamps,  comes 
from  the  fat  of  the  whale.  Whale  ships  are 
sent  out  into  the  South  Seas,  where  these 
whales  are  found,  and  each  ship  has  six  or 
seven  boats  on  board.  Each  of  these  boats 
has  a  harpoon,  which  is  a  kind  of  spear,  and 
a  very  long  line. 

When  the  whale  is  seen,  six  or  seven  of  the 
seamen  jump  into  a  boat  and  row  towards 
him.  When  they  get  near  the  whale,  a  har- 
poon is  darted  into  him  ;  as  soon  as  he  feels 
the  iron,  he  darts  down  into  the  sea,  and  goes 
to  a  great  depth ;  but  he  soon  has  to  come  up 
again  to  breathe.  The  men  in  the  boat  are 
on  the  watch  for  him,  and  when  he  rises,  they 
plunge  more  harpoons  and  lances  into  him 
and   kill  him. 


FIRST.J  WORDS  OF   TWO  SYLLABLES.  133 

When  the  whale  is  dead,  they  tie  a  rope  to 
his  tail  and  fasten  him  to  the  ship.  They 
then  cut  off  those  parts  which  yield  the  fat, 
and  take  out  the  whale-hone.  When  this  is 
done,  they  let  the  rest  of  the  carcase  float 
away.  The  fat,  or  blubber,  is  put  into  casks, 
and  kept  till  they  have  time  to  get  the  oil 
out  of  it. 


LESSON  XXXIX. 

Useful    Things. 

The  cow  has  a  horn  and  the  fish  has  a    gill ; 
The    horse    has    a  hoof,    and    the    duck   has  a 

bill; 
The    bird  has    a  wing    that    on    high    he  may 

sail ; 
And  the  lion  a  mane,   and  the  monkey  a  tail ; 
And  they  swim,  or  they  fly,    or  they  walk,    or 

they  eat, 
With  fin,  or  with  wing,  or  with  bill,  or  with  feet. 

And    you    have    two    hands,    with    five    fingers 

to  each, 
On    purpose    to    work    with,    to    hold,    and   to 

reach. 


134 


SOUTHERN  READER. 


[book 


No  birds,  beasts,  or  fishes,  for  work  or  for  play, 
Have  any  thing   nearly  as  useful  as  they  ; 
But    if  you    don't    use    them    as    well    as    you 

can, 
You  will  never  become  a  good  and  wise  man 


LESSON  XL. 


The    Storm. 

Come,  my  children,  let  us  draw  our  chairs 
near  the  fire,  this  dark  stormy  night.  The 
wind  whistles  without,  and  the  rain  pours 
down  in  torrents,  while  the  loud  thunder  and 
vivid  lightning  add  horror  to  the  darkness  of 
the  night. 


FIRST.]  WORDS  OF  TWO  SYLLABLES.  135 

Open  the  door,  grand-father,  and  look  oat 
upon  the  water.  'Tis  a  dreadful  night  for  the 
poor  sailors  who  are  out  to  sea.  How  the 
white  waves  tumble  about !  We  can  just  see 
them  by  the  flash  of  lightning,  and  then  all 
is  dark  again. 

Yes,  my  dear,  it  is  a  dreadful  night  for  all 
who  are  out  in  this  storm;  and  the  poor 
sailors  must  indeed  have  an  anxious  night. 
How  grateful  should  we  be,  who  can  sit  here 
at  the  fireside,  secure  from  the  storm,  while 
many  a  poor  fellow  is  exposed  to  its  fury  on 
the  broad  ocean,  and  perhaps  at  this  moment 
sinking  beneath   the   waters. 

As  the  old  man  spoke  the  last  word,  a 
flash  of  lightning  poured  its  blaze  through 
every  window,  and  the  peal  of  thunder  which 
was  heard  the  next  moment,  shook  the  whole 
house.  Ann  clung  to  her  mother  in  fear  and 
trembling;  but  William  was  a  bold  lad,  and 
knew    no   fear. 

Do  not  tremble,  Ann,  said  the  mother,  as  her 
daughter  threw  herself  into  her  lap  in  great 
alarm.  It  is  indeed  a  dreadful  night,  and  dread- 
ful   to    me   as   well    as   to   you,     is   this   war    of 


136  SOUTHERN  READER.  [BOOK 

nature  ;  but  I   have   learned   to  look  upon  these 

works   of  God   without   fear,  for   I    know    that 

His  goodness  and  mercy  are  fully  equal  to   His 
power. 


LESSON  XLI. 


Humming   Birds. 

Let  us  talk  about  Humming  Birds.  Little 
children  in  Europe,  across  the  great  ocean, 
do  not  see  Humming  Birds.  They  live  in 
America,  where  my  youngest  readers  were 
born. 

They  are  as  big  as  large  butter-flies,  and  as 
bright  as  butter-flies.  Pretty  things.  How  they 
love  to  dip  their  long  sharp  tongues  in  a  flow- 
er !  How  neat  they  are  !  They  do  not  ruffle 
a  leaf!  If  you  could  look  at  them  near,  you 
would   see  their   little  black  eyes. 


FIRST.]  WORDS  OF  TWO  SYLLABLES.  137 

They  make  their  uests  on  small  twigs  oi 
trees.  The  female  builds,  and  the  male  flies 
about,  and  gets  the  down  of  mullen  or  cotton, 
or  moss,   or  other   soft  things,   to  line  them. 

The  nests  are  an  inch  wide,  and  an  inch 
deep.     They  lay  two  little  white  eggs. 

If  you  go  near  their  nests,  they  will  dart  at 
you,  and  hum  with  their  wings,  and  try  to 
frighten  you,   and  chirp  like    a   cricket. 

Humming  birds  get  angry,  like  little  boys 
and  girls.  When  a  flower  has  no  honey  in 
it,  they  sometimes  tear  it  to  pieces  iu  quite  a 
rage. 

Fie,  little  birds  !  You  sit  there  on  that  dried 
twig,  and  fix  your  pretty  green  and  gold  feath- 
ers, and  clean  your  soft  plumes,  your  eyes  shin- 
ing like  beads ;  and  then  you  fly  with  such  a 
light  grace  to  a  flower,  and  if  there  is  no 
honey  in  it,  you  get  into  a  passion !  Oh,  fief 
'ittle  birds ;  be  patient  and  go  to  the  next 
flower. 


138  SOUTHERN  READER.  [BOOK 

LESSON  XLli. 

What  our  Clothes  are  made,  of. 

Come,  Thomas,  tell  me  what  clothes  jou 
wear,   and'  what  they  are   made  of. 

I  wear  a  cap  on  my  head ;  it  is  made  of 
woolen  cloth.  In  the  summer  I  some  times  wear 
a  palm  leaf  hat ;  and  that  is  made  of  the  leaf 
of  the  little  palm  tree.  Papa's  hat  is  made  of 
fur.  Fur  is  the  fine  hair  which  grows  on  the 
otter,  beaver,  muskrat,  mink,  rabbit,  and  other 
small  animals. 

On  my  body  I  wear  a  shirt  and  a  jacket. 
Father  wears  a  shirt,  a  vest,  and  a  coat.  On 
my   legs  I   wear   trowsers. 

On  my  feet  I  wear  stockings  and  shoes. 
Some  persons  wear  boots   instead  of  shoes. 

My  shirt  is  made  of  either  cotton  or  linen. 
My  jacket  and  trowsers,  and  stockings,  which 
I  wear  in  the  winter,  are  made  of  wool ;  and 
those  I  wear  in  the  summer  are  made  of  linen. 
Boots  and   shoes   are   made  of  leather. 

Linen  cloth  is  made  of  the  fine  bark  of  a 
plant  called  flax.  Leather  is  made  of  the  skins 
of  calves,  cows,    oxen,   horses,   sheep  and   goats. 


FIRST.]  WORDS  OF  TWO  SYLLABLES.  139 

The  skins  of  the  ox,  cow,  and  horse,  are  called 
hides.  The  soles  of  boots  and  shoes  are  made 
of  thick  ox  or  cow-hide. 

Woolen  clothes  are  warm.  Wool  grows  on 
sheep.  Once  a  year  the  wool  is  cut  off  from 
the  sheep  when  the  weather  is  warm,  and  then 
new  wool  grows  on   them   again. 

Cotton  grows  in  pods,  on  a  large  plant.  This 
plant  often  grows  as  tall  as  a  man,  and  branches 
out  wide.  Its  flowers  are  of  all  colors,  and  a 
large  cotton  field  in  blossom  is  a  splendid  sight. 
More  cloth  is  made  of  cotton  and  wool,  than 
of  any  thing  else. 

Some  coarse  cloth  is  made  of  hemp.  This 
is  the  skin,  or  bark,  of  a  plant  that  grows  much 
larger  than  flax. 

Many  garments  are  made  of  silk.  There  is 
a  kind  of  small  worm,  called  a  silk  worm,  which 
makes  silk  in  fine  threads,  much  like  those  of 
a  spider's  web.  These  threads,  the  worm  winds 
round  itself,  in  a  ball  shaped  like  an  egg.  These 
balls  are  unwound,  and  the  silk  twisted  into 
larger  threads,  to  sew  with,  or  to  weave  into 
cloth 


140 


SOUTHERN  READER. 

LESSON  XLIII. 


[book 


The  Camel. 

The  camel  is  from  six  to  seven  feet  high, 
and  carries  his  head  eight  or  nine  feet  from  the 
ground.  His  bodj  is  large ;  his  legs  slender ; 
and  his  feet  round  m  shape,  but  flat  at  the  bot- 
tom, and  soft  and  spongy,  so  that  they  may  not 
crack  in  the  hot  sands  of  the  deserts.  He  has 
two  large  humps  on  his  back,  which  gives  him 
an  odd  shape.     Some  camels  have  but  one  hump. 

The  camel  is  much  used  by  the  Arabs;  with- 
out him  they  could  not  travel  on  their  deserts 
of  sand.  He  gives  them  milk,  carries  their  loads, 
and  their   clothes   are  made  of  his  hair.     He  is 


FIRST.]  WORDS  OF  TWO  SYLLABLES.  141 

of  as  much  use  to  them  as  the  horse,  the  cow, 
and  the  sheep  are  to  us.  They  employ  him 
to  carry  great  loads  across  the  deserts,  where 
there  are  no  springs  of  water,  and  no  shady 
trees.  Horses  and  mules  could  not  do  without 
water  as  long  as  the  camel  does.  He  has  a 
safe  place  in  his  stomach,  where  he  can  keep 
water  for  a  long  time,  and  when  he  is  thirsty 
he  makes  it  come  up  into  his  mouth. 

The  camel  kneels  down  to  take  a  load,  and 
rises  up  when  it  is  put  on.  If  more  is  put  on 
his  back  than  he  can  well  carry,  he  will  cry 
loudly  till  some  of  it  is  taken  off.  When  loaded, 
he  will  trot  about  twenty-five  miles  in  a  day  ; 
but  when  he  carries  only  a  man  on  his  back, 
he  can  travel  more  than  a  hundred  miles  in  a 
day. 


LESSON  XLIV. 

To  a  Fly. 

My  merry  little  Fly,  play  here, 

And  let  me  look  at  you; 
I  will  not  touch  you,  though  you're  near, 

As  naughty  children  do. 
13 


142  SOUTHERN  READER.  [BOOR 

I  see  you  spread  your  little  wings, 

That  sparkle  in  the  sun, 
I  see  your  legs,  what  tiny  things ! 

And  yet  how  fast  they  run. 

You  walk  along  the  ceiling  now, 

And  down  the  upright  wall 
I'll  ask  Mamma  to  tell  me  how 

You  walk  and  do  not  fall. 

'Twas  God  who  taught  you,  little  Fly, 

To  walk  along  the  ground, 
And  mount  above  my  head  so  high 

And  frolic  round  and  round. 

I'll  near  you  stand  to  see  you  play, 

But  do  not  be  afraid; 
I  would  not  lift  my  little  hand 

To  hurt  the  thing  He  made. 


FIRST.]  WORDS  OF  TWO  SYLLABLES. 

LESSON  XLV. 


143 


Patrick  Henry. 

Patrick  Henry,  one  of  the  noble  sons  of  Vir- 
ginia, was  a  public  speaker  of  great  power  and 
beauty.  It  lias  been  said,  that  "  he  was  the 
greatest  or-a-tor  that  ever  lived."  Some  of  his 
speeches,  it  would  seem,  charmed  his  hearers  to 
such  a  degree,  that  they  were  seen  weeping  and 
laughing  by  turns.  He  was  the  idol  of  the 
people,  and  they  heaped  honors  upon  him  as 
long   as   he  lived. 

In  his  last  will,  (which  is  a  writing  in  which 
a  man  directs  to  whom  his  estate  shall  be  given 
when  he  is  dead,)  after  giving  all  his  worldly 
goods  to  his  friends,  he  said,  "  There  is  one 
thing  more  I  wish  I  could  give  them,  and  that 
is,  the  Christian  religion.     If  they  have  that,  and 


144  SOUTHERN  READER. 

I  had  not  given  them  one  shilling,  they  would 
be  rich;  and  if  they  have  not  that,  and  I  had 
given  them  the  whole  world,  they  would  be 
poor ! 

This  is  indeed  true.  Without  this  pearl  o) 
great  price,  riches  and  honors  cannot  make  us 
happy ;  but  with  it,  whether  we  are  poor  or 
rich,  we  can  never  be  wretched.  If  we  have 
nothing  else,  we  shall  at  least  enjoy  that  peace 
which  is  known  only  to  those  who  love  God 
and  strive  to  do  His  holy  will, — that  peace 
which  outlives  all  the  pleasures  of  rank,  and 
wealth,  and  honor,  and  all  that  this  world  can. 
give. 

Seek,  then,  my  dear  little  friends,  first  of  all 
to  fulfil  your  duty  to  your  Father  in  Heaven, 
and  you  will  have  His  never  failing  promise  that 
you  shall  be  happy  in  this  world  and  in  the 
world  to  come.  He  will  then  never  leave  you 
nor  forsake  you.  though  you  may  be  poor  and 
needy  and  obscure  in  this  world,  you  will  have 
a  crown  of  glory  in  heaven,  which  shall  not  fade 
away  ;  but  which  will  grow  brighter  and  brighter 
for  ever  and  ever. 

END. 


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